Two Worlds Collide
by mangx3
Summary: As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty, life, and love, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself. AU
1. Prologue: The Story

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender purely begins to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Prologue: The Story

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**Summary:** As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty and life, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

There was a crowd of people waiting anxiously as the large metal ships pulled into the docks of the Southern Water Tribe. The women waited patiently in the large igloo in the center of the now flourishing village— the central igloo was the southern version of the Northern Water Tribe's Chief Temple, though with much of the same functions such as meetings and a hall for celebrations.

Among the women, there was an elderly woman with long, grey hair that had long lost its brown hue. Her tan skin had shown signs of a long life, wrinkled and delicate but her blue eyes were lively and filled with subdued excitement. She laughed good naturedly at the rambunctious young children running around the banquet hall.

Soon, masculine voices began ringing through the space and Kanna looked up and saw her husband walk into the hall, a small smile on his face while he walked in more children, though they were different from the other children due to their jet black hair and eyes in shades of gold and hazel in comparison to the common traits of brown hair and blue eyes.

The two groups of children joined together quickly, easily introducing themselves and playing games together. A group of three remained with Pakku and made their way to Kanna before hugging her tightly.

With another cheerful laugh, Kanna embraced the children tightly and saw Pakku smile down at them, as well. She stood up and felt them tug on her arm out of the banquet hall. Many of the women smiled at them while they exited and walked into the snowy town. Outside of the grand igloo, there were even more children running around, their laughter mixed with the sounds of families and friends being reunited.

The sky was darkening. The wide expanse of the sky was bright blue at one end of the spectrum, a mixture of fuchsia and orange in the middle, and a pearly grey and dark blue at the other. Kanna and Pakku lead the children into their igloo, the grand structure having grown and improved in recent years from the cramped living quarters it was once.

"Gran-Gran! Pakku!"

The elderly couple were used to the greetings and waved back genially, at least Kanna did. Usually, unless he actually liked the other person and knew him or her well, he responded with a stiff nod— sometimes even a small twitch of his lips that, for him, constituted a smile.

Kanna looked at her husband adoringly while he shut the door of the igloo behind them. The sky was now almost completely black. She took off her heavy jacket, using spark rocks to light the fire in the center of their living room, holding her hands out to feel the warmth. She turned her attention back to her three great-grandchildren sitting on the rug of bear pelt in front of the fire.

"So where are your parents?"

The oldest child explained, while her younger two siblings made a face at their parents' absence, "Mommy said that she and Daddy have to talk to Grandpa about something boring."

Pakku let a rare, gentle smile curve his lips. "'Something boring'?"

The middle child made another face. "Something about trade," he sneered, his lips pursed in a hard line.

Kanna and Pakku shared a look. Kanna's eyes widened and she laughed, her long, silver braid swinging slightly behind her back. "You are just like your father." Pakku joined her in her laughter at how the young boy seemed to puff his chest out proudly at the comparison to his father.

"And _you_ are just like your mother," Pakku said to the eldest, who grinned brightly back at him.

Kanna took the youngest in her arms and the toddler looked up at her with her bright blue eyes. "You're precious."

Pakku looked at the only boy and raised his eyebrows. "Well, Sika seems to understand that your parents have important things that need to be done. You should remember that, Sato." He looked at his wife and asked, "Did you know that Sokka and Suki are still dealing with the drought problems on Kyoshi island?"

"I suppose so. I haven't been told anything in Sokka's letters."

"They asked if I could come back with the kids and if we could have the kids for the night until they resolve this issue with Hakoda— he's staying on Kyoshi Island with Sokka and Suki until they can figure out trading arrangements until they get some rain. They should arrive here by tomorrow afternoon."

"That's perfectly fine. In fact, I think that it's time for the three of you to go to sleep. It's late and you must be tired from traveling. Have you already eaten?"

Sika nodded, "Yes, Gran-Gran." She narrowed her eyes at Sato, who shook his head. "Liar. You're such a pig!"

"At least I don't look like one!" He pulled his nostrils up at Sika to imitate a pig's snout.

Kanna put Sena in the crib that they, as grandparents and great-grandparents, learned should always be in their home. The two year old looked up at Kanna with blue eyes that were identical to her father's. Lovingly, she pulled the blanket over her and watched Sena drift off into sleep.

"I don't expect that the two of you will go to sleep that quickly, will you?"

Sato pursed his lips and sighed as he shook his head. "No way, Gran-Gran."

"Hmph. Exactly like your father," Pakku deadpanned. "Did you tell you about the time he tried to get away with calling me Gramp-Gramp? Or Grampakku?" The elderly man shuddered in distaste at the memory.

Inspired by Pakku's small mention of the past, Sika bit her lip excitedly. "What if you tell us a story, Gran-Gran?"

Kanna and Pakku shared a look. Kanna raised her silver eyebrows. "If I tell you a story, you promise you'll go to sleep?"

"Promise!" the two children yelled enthusiastically.

Kanna joined them on the fur while Pakku sat on a nearby chair, an amused expression on his face. She sighed and asked them, "So you want a story. What kind of story would you like me to tell you?"

"Romance. With a prince who fights for the girl and a happy ending."

"Adventure! With lots of action and fighting and… and cool battles and warriors!"

With a patient smile, Kanna tried to satisfy both children's preferences. "I think I have just the right story to tell you." With a glance towards Sika, she assured the young girl, "It has plenty of romance and love and there certainly is a prince charming and a happy ending. _But_," she continued with a pointed look in Sato's direction, "there are plenty of sword fights, bending fights, and warriors and armies."

"Is it a true story, Gran-Gran?" Sika asked, with wide eyes, the turquoise shining in her irises, illuminated by the flickering orange and red light of the fire.

The question grabbed Sato's attention as well and Kanna nodded softly, sparing a glance at Pakku who smiled in realization of the story his wife was about to tell. "It is a true story and it happened before any of you were born."

"It must be pretty old then," Sato commented.

"You're very young, Sato, and lucky to have been born in such an era of peace and love," Pakku reminded him gently. "Yet the story is only sten years old."

Sika and Sato looked at him wide slightly awed expressions, their mouths open and eyes wide open. Sika breathed out, "Wow."

Pakku was about to reply when the sound of a whistling kettle cut through the silence and he raised a hand so that a stream of boiling water left through the kettle's spout and through the air into the four mugs on the table. "Before you start telling the story, I thought I'd make us some hot drinks. Tea?"

Kanna took the mug from him while the two children made faces and he snickered softly. "I had a feeling you two wouldn't want tea, so I put ground cocoa in your cups so you'd have some hot chocolate."

Now, they eagerly got up from their places on the fur rug to take the warm ceramic mugs before returning to their seats in front of their great-grandmother. They sipped the hot liquid, sighing happily while staring at her from over the rim of their mugs, the steam swirling above them.

"Are you sure that you want to hear this story?"

Her great-grandchildren nodded excitedly. "Okay. But everyone needs to hold up their end of the bargain. This is a pretty long story so I won't be able to finish it in one night— and the two of you will need to go to sleep."

Sika and Sato's faces fell considerably.

"However, if you two sleep when I tell you to, and if you like the story, then I promise that I'll finish telling you the story before you leave to go back home to Kyoshi Island with your parents when you're done with your visit." She raised her eyebrows at them. "Do we have a deal?"

"Yes, Gran-Gran," they chorused in unison.

"Okay, now this story, as we said, took place about ten years ago. You see, for a hundred years before that, the entire world was in a state of war." Sato's face lit up with excitement. "The Fire Nation had attacked with the power that Sozin's Comet had given them. The Air Nomads had been wiped out and we thought that we had lost the war, especially because the Avatar did not come to stop the Fire Nation."

"A hundred years passed and the Fire Nation continued conquering and the Avatar still did not appear. Brave men and warriors, like your grandfather often left the village to fight and try and stop the Fire Nation. Also, the Northern Water Tribe and Southern Water Tribe were separated and often had nothing to do with each other. With the war, the Southern Water Tribe was weakening and its sister tribe sent some of its warriors, healers, and Waterbenders to help us— including your great-grandfather."

She paused, allowing the history to sink in the minds of her great-grandchildren and she was pleased to see them absorb the information well and wait patiently for her to continue. From the lack of surprise on their faces, Kanna realized that Sokka and Suki did not hide the past from their children, though she was sure that they left out many details.

"At the time that this story begins, all of the men from the two tribes were trying to figure out a way to end this war and to finally ensure peace for the entire world. At this point, two Fire Lords had reigned and the current one was cruel, both to his people and especially to everyone else— even his own family."

"It was ten years ago… your father was sixteen years old and your Aunt Katara was only fifteen. Even though they were young, Grandfather Hakoda wanted his children to be safe. And so, he sent them to the Northern Water Tribe where Sokka trained with the warriors while Katara trained under Gramp-Gramp—"

Pakku had sent her a dirty look that she felt even though her back was to him and Sika and Sato laughed.

"— and she became a Master Waterbender. They had only been up North for less than a month. Your aunt was Master Pakku's best student, even if she was a girl."

Sika grinned smugly at her younger brother, who stuck his tongue out at her. "See? Just like how Mom beat Dad up the first time they met."

"That doesn't count!"

"Do the two of you want me to finish this story or not? You're supposed to return home in less than a week."

Immediately, the two became quiet and listened attentively.

"So there was a big war meeting and everyone was deciding how to bring down the Fire Nation and end the war. At the meeting, it was decided that the Fire Nation was too powerful and that even a huge army would be the wrong way to end this war."

Pakku interjected, "We decided that a small infiltration… a spy was what we needed. The spy would be able to tell us all of the Fire Nation's plans and secrets and then we would be able to slowly stop them by ruining everything— including production of tanks, weapons, everything the Fire Nation Army and Navy needed to continue their conquests."

"Is this where the warrior comes in?" Sato asked impatiently.

"Yes. In fact, at this meeting, we chose two people to go to the Fire Nation and try and accomplish this dangerous mission. We needed someone brave and smart and skilled. After all, if they were caught, then they would surely be captured and who knows what the Fire Nation might have done to get back at us?"

Kanna nodded gravely in agreement. "One of them was your father."

"He was the warrior?"

"He acted bravely and he was a warrior, but he wasn't the hero of this story. It was your Aunt Katara." With an inclination towards Sika, she added, "Of course, she had the help of her own prince, too."

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**A/N:** First of all, I will begin by saying that this Avatar: The Last Airbender fan fiction will be just that: fan fiction. In fact, I do not plan to follow the actual plotline in its order or will change events completely. If you are the type of reader who doesn't find satisfaction from this kind of fan fiction, I ask you to try and keep an open mind as I warn you that this is an Alternate Universe story, or else simply read something that appeals to you. All of that being said, I _will_ keep all characters as close as they are as they are portrayed and how I interpret they would act—the characters, I have to say, are the greatest element of A:TLA. Enjoy!

Please— read, review, wonder.


	2. The Agreement

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender purely belongs to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Chapter 1: The Agreement

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**Summary:** As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty and life, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

_Last Time…_

_"Yes. In fact, at this meeting, we chose two people to go to the Fire Nation and try and accomplish this dangerous mission. We needed someone brave and smart and skilled. After all, if they were caught, then they would surely be captured and who knows what the Fire Nation might have done to get back at us?"_

_Kanna nodded gravely in agreement. "One of them was your father."_

_"He was the warrior?"_

_"He acted bravely and he was a warrior, but he wasn't the hero of this story. It was your Aunt Katara." With an inclination towards Sika, she added, "Of course, she had the help of her own prince, too."_

* * *

Kanna smiled at Sika and Sato. "Your father and Aunt Katara had experienced great tragedy at a young age because of the Fire Nation… your grandma… my daughter-in-law…" Her ancient voice withered even more as the pain from more than twenty years ago came over her again.

She felt Pakku's hand on her shoulder and she put her own hand over it. With a shaky breath, she continued, "The tribe was attacked by a group called the Southern Raiders… they were looking for the last Waterbender, who happened to be your aunt, but your grandmother… she wanted to protect Katara, of course. And…" There was immense sadness and an empty ache in her voice. "And she did what any mother would do to protect her children."

"I remember the day that Katara was chosen to complete the mission… she told me years later how that very morning, she woke up from a dream of Kya's death. Later on, she supposed that it was a sign from Tui and La to serve as motivation for her to accept the mission and to find the strength to know what she was doing it for— so that no one else would ever have to feel that pain…"

* * *

_The sound of laughter within the now tiny tribe was silenced and the flying snow ceased as the small children stopped throwing it at each other, instead entranced by the black substance falling from the sky. They wrinkled their nose at the unfamiliar and strong scent of smoke and coal. The boys ran up on top of their snow fortresses and Katara could see her older brother, Sokka's, blue eyes widen in fear. He jumped down and pushed her away._

"_Go find Mom, Katara! Stay with her! GO!"_

_Before she turned away, she saw the other kids run back to their huts and their mothers close and lock the doors tightly after kissing their husbands for what they hoped was not the last time. Katara ran past the warriors donning their lunar wolf helmets and running towards her father, who would lead the fight. As she ran along the coastline, she saw the large black metal Fire Nation Navy ships coming closer with their clouds of smoke. Their masts held a flag with the sea ravens and she ran harder when she saw the men begin to leave the ships, fire blazing from their fists._

_Once their hut came into sight, Katara pushed herself even harder and burst through the door and froze, feeling her insides go cold when she saw her mother sitting down calmly on one of their large fur pelts, a tall man clad in metal armor standing above her. Taking a timid step forward, Katara stopped once her mother's eyes, her own cerulean eyes, trained themselves onto Katara._

"_Mom?" Katara didn't know why, but saltwater was filling up in her eyes and threatened to fall. "Mommy?"_

_Kya was serious and stern as she spoke to Katara, a tone that her mother rarely employed unless she and Sokka were fighting, but even then, it was not so strict. With a quick glance of her eyes towards the man in armor, Kya begged, "Fine. I'll help you… just please. Let my daughter leave."_

_Katara gasped when she saw the man turn his head and look to her, his eyes staring at her through his helmet. His voice was rough and unsympathetic, "You heard your mother, girl—go!"_

_She looked back to Kya who nodded, "It's okay, sweetie. Go and find your father."_

_Once again running at full speed, Katara panted as she made her way, her boots pounding over the hard soot-covered snow while she yelled for her father. "Dad! Dad!" She grunted when she fell over herself, tripping, and pulled herself back up with tears falling down her face. After racing through the village and back to the shore where she saw the large metal ships dock, Katara found her father dealing with the men they had defeated while the large metal ship had armored men racing to climb in and leave, having orders to leave though their mission was over before it had really started. "Dad! There's a man in the hut with Mom!"_

_Hakoda turned around immediately at the sound of his youngest child's voice and his face set in determination once he acknowledged her words. He left the other warriors and ran back to their hut, Katara following as fast as she could, ignoring the flame in her lungs from her running. Katara saw her dad burst through their door and she ran in after him, immediately coming to a stop once she entered. She heard her father's slight sobs and was puzzled as to why tears began falling again, as she did not know why her father cried. She had never seen him cry. From the side, she could see Hakoda's heaving form holding something in his arms and her eyes settled on her mother's, the rich azure of her eyes now dulled with a lack of life and felt the streams of saltwater fall down her cheeks in heavier quantities._

_Her father shifted and placed a blanket of furs over his wife's body and turned to her, something in his hand. He placed a vice-like grip around his daughter and placed something around her neck. Hakoda pulled away and Katara stared down at the blue choker around her neck, feeling the smooth stone with the symbol of the Water Nation carved into it._

"_Your mother wanted you to have it. It's yours now, Katara."_

_Katara shook her head slowly. She wasn't supposed to have her mother's betrothal necklace until Katara was at least sixteen. This had to mean that… _

"_Mommy…"_

"Mom!"

More than a decade later, Katara sat up in her bed, her arms reaching out in front of her and her entire body drenched in sticky sweat. She pulled back one of her hands and noticed that it trembled as it made its way to her cheek, which was saturated in her tears. Katara exhaled shakily and pulled her knees close to her chest. Breathing deeply, she tried to stifle her overwhelming wave of emotions and memories using the meditation breathing her Waterbending Master, Master Pakku, had taught her. She rest her forehead on her knees and continued breathing deeply.

Katara was the only Waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe. To add to it, she was female. Her father, Hakoda, had sought out for a competent Waterbending Master within the South Pole for her so that she could train and defend herself, for the war was still going on. He had not found any and his mother, Kanna—Gran-Gran to Katara and Sokka—had somewhat reluctantly suggested that he send her to live at the Northern Water Tribe for some time and learn there. So Hakoda had taken his mother's advice and took his children to the North Pole where under Master Pakku's tutelage, Katara had become a Master Waterbender in her own right and Sokka had trained with the young warriors of the Northern Water Tribe. The exchange allowed for a bridge between the two tribes to become a stronger, more unified Water Nation.

Their experience had also allowed the formerly patriarchal and traditional North Pole to accept females on a level of equality, as Waterbenders and as warriors. Though, to Katara's chagrin, they did not completely recall all chauvinist customs as girls were still required to undergo arranged marriages. However, she was willing to compromise and took it as a sign of moving towards progression. As a matter of fact, they sent several Northern Water Tribe representatives to live in the South Pole and these representatives were not bothered by the fact that Katara and other elder women were allowed to the meetings discussing tactics against the Fire Nation, a social taboo in the north.

A knock on her door caused Katara to lift her head up and her eyes met with Sokka's, which were slightly bloodshot. From waking up early, she thought. In the dark, Katara's cheeks slightly colored because she knew why her overprotective older brother woke up so early. Yawning, Sokka rubbed his eyes. "Katara? You okay?" Once his vision adjusted to his being awake, Sokka saw his sister's appearance and woke up, sitting beside Katara on her bed. "What's wrong?"

Katara shook her head. "It's nothing." She looked down at her knees, continuing, "Just a bad dream."

Sokka understood immediately and put a hand on hers, knowing that clichéd words of comfort were not what Katara needed, or wanted for that matter. "It's a good thing I woke up early, anyway. Apparently, there's a war meeting going on that we need to go to. You better wash up and get yourself over to the council. And you better hurry if you want any of Gran-Gran's sea squid with your breakfast. I get hungry when I have to wake up early."

Watching her brother leave, Katara rolled her eyes. "You get hungry when you wake up late, when you wake up on time; basically, you're hungry when you're plain _up_, Sokka."

After making her bed, Katara made her way to the bathroom with a pot of boiling water and poured it into the tub, steam rising up and filling the room. Katara put the pot down and lifted her arms and slowly moved them in a motion that swirled her arms above her head, gathering the steam into one large ball above her head. Almost lazily, she moved it above the tub and she blew lightly on it so that it cooled and condensed, falling into the hot water to mix and form a warm, relaxing temperature. Katara peeled off her bed clothes and put it in a bucket which she had bent water into, washing the sweat-soaked clothes before she lowered herself into the tub.

Katara bent the water over herself in swirls to lather and rinse herself clean. Once she was done, she got rid of the dirty bath water and dried herself by flicking her wrist so that the droplets of water that clung to her body and hair was pulled away and with another movement of her wrist, evaporated into vapor.

Quickly dressing and making her way to Gran-Gran, who gratefully gave her a small package of food to eat on the way to the meeting, Katara put on her thick, South Pole jacket and hurried through the doors. She gave a friendly wave and smile to whoever she saw while she quickly chewed through her grandmother's smoked sea prunes and the sea squid that she had managed to hide from Sokka. Standing outside of the large igloo that they had recently rebuilt, thanks to the increased number of Waterbenders, harboring the leaders of the tribe, Katara bent the snow around her to liquefy and quickly washed the area around her mouth free of any crumbs and smoothed her thick, fur-trimmed jacket before entering.

Upon entering, Katara bowed respectfully to the elder women and to the rest of the men in the spacious room before taking her seat on her father's left side, across from Sokka who sat on his right. Smirking, she opened one of her water skins and bent a small whip at her older brother's face where he had neglected to wipe off some of his breakfast. When he sent her a heated glare through his narrowed eyes, Katara stared innocently at the floor, pretending to fuss with the cushion underneath her before the entire room was brought to silence by her father.

Hakoda nodded at Bato, beginning, "This war has been going on for a century too long. It has resulted in the genocide of an entire nation, and the near-decimation of the Southern Water Tribe. Too many have suffered at the hands of Fire Lords Sozin, Azulon, and most recently, Ozai." The ghost of Katara's nightmare seemed to find its way into the chief's weathered face, strained by war and pain and worry.

Bato stood up to claim attention. He added, "What Hakoda is saying is true. And while we have fought valiantly and with great strength—" Bato was cut off by the deep cheers of the warriors present in the room. "Though we've fought like no other men, merely defending ourselves isn't enough. The number of ships and men that have left the two tribes are also deterred from their original mission to attack in order to preserve themselves."

An elderly old man whose hair was as white as the walls of the igloo and whose face resembled wrinkled leather had eyes that were still sharp and Katara easily recognized him as from the Northern Water Tribe. He raised his thick eyebrows. "And how do you suppose we attack? Our resources are depleted—like you said! We can't afford any sort of large-scale attack at this time."

"We know." Hakoda allowed a corner of his mouth to life in a small smile. "That's not our plan. Instead, we believe that we need a small, inconspicuous group of our people to get close, within the Fire Nation Capital City, hopefully close enough to the Royal Fire Nation Family to infiltrate and sabotage supplies, plans, and etc."

Another elder spoke, "A whole group? Wouldn't that be too suspicious if a _group_ of Water Nation citizens suddenly appeared at the Fire Nation Capital? No. It would be best to send just one, maybe two as a precaution."

One of the women nodded her head slowly. Katara recognized her as her Gran-Gran's childhood friend and one of the best healers, Yugoda. Yugoda agreed, "Three would be too dangerous. I believe that if two are sent, then even then, it must not be known that they know each other."

The first old man asked, "And which warrior would we send to Fire Nation?"

Katara's ocean eyes blazed in offense. "And why wouldn't it be plausible for a woman to go?" Her hands tightly gripped the hem of her jacket to keep from doing something disrespectful. "Any woman can achieve as much as a man in any field. You just need to find the right woman." Katara sat up straighter and swelled with pride when she felt the other women's agreement. She frowned when the men from the Northern Water Tribe murmured in disagreement.

A Northern Warrior argued, "But, as a woman, it would be much more of a risk. Hell, think of how dangerous it would be for a man! I think it's out of the question to send a woman."

Sokka turned to the warrior, sneering, "Well, excuse _me_, Hahn, but I think that my sister's right. After all, she's Master Pakku's best Waterbending student and surpassed how many of his male students?" Sokka folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes. "If you ask me, I think that a woman has just as much right to participate as men."

A woman raised her eyebrow at the son of the chief. "Are you implying that women don't do enough for the war effort, Sokka?"

Sokka's eyes shot open and widened. He sputtered, "N-n-no! Th-that's not what I meant. Not at all! I, uh…. I-I I only meant that—"

"I think that what my brother's trying to say is," Katara shot Sokka a look that clearly meant _shut up_, "why not a woman? Besides the men's overused excuse that it would be too dangerous for a _female_, why not?"

"Katara, a woman's rightful place is not in war!" Hahn stood up and had raised his voice at the Master Waterbender, eliciting a cold glare from the young woman.

Yugoda shook her head and sharply ordered, "Hahn, sit down! This is not your tribe and she is the daughter of this tribe's chief."

Hakoda reminded her, "Though we might be from different tribes, I hope that everyone remembers that we are still one nation. Otherwise, we're doomed." He looked from his children to the wizened old men and at the warriors who agreed with Hahn. He turned to Katara apologetically; it was a look she recognized and she gasped and let her jaw drop. "I'm sorry, Katara, but though I think that it's not a matter of capability or competence…."

A middle-aged woman spoke up. Katara recognized her as a healer from the North. "Excuse me, Chief Hakoda, but the plan is to infiltrate the Fire Nation Royal Family and sabotage. Well this person would have to gain their trust. Would the Fire Nation really expect deceit from a woman? Wouldn't they believe a woman present at a top secret meeting to do nothing except fantasize about trivial, superficial things? Don't forget, women are more equipped when it comes to deceiving, seducing, and manipulating men; even powerful ones."

The woman's words rung out in the following silence in the war room and even the conservative men from the other tribe grudgingly agreed. Hakoda sensed the unanimous agreement within his council and nodded. "Then it's settled. A young woman must go to the Fire Nation and act as a spy. Now, I have one more problem to put on you before we end the meeting: who?"

Hahn sarcastically offered, "Why not Katara, the Master Waterbender?" He smirked when Katara's jaw dropped once more in shock.

Hakoda's voice was stern. "Hahn, you may not get along with my children, but—"

Bato interrupted, "Wait, Hakoda. Why not Katara?" He made a face and apologized to Katara. "I'm sorry, but I believe you are more than capable. After all, you're a fifteen year old girl, far from the type to make the Fire Nation suspicious. But what they don't know is that your father was smart enough to send you around the world to make sure you could protect yourself. You're a Master Waterbender and your time with the Kyoshi Warriors have left you skilled in hand-to-hand combat and acrobatics."

"Bato…" Hakoda's tone was dangerous and almost threatening.

"Hakoda, I'm sorry, but this is about more than your children. This is about ending this goddamn war!" His point was echoed by several murmurs of agreement from both men and women of both tribes. He continued, "Katara is the most qualified and we have more than enough faith in her. She is the one who earned the Mark of the Brave when Sokka went ice dodging two years ago, not any of the _men_."

Hakoda sighed and hung his head before he conceded, "Then I'm sending my daughter to the lions." Raising his head, he placed his hand above hers, and Katara could see the glassiness of his eyes as he fought back tears. "She'll leave tonight on one of the cutter ships to Kyoshi Island where Suki will help set her up for the rest of her journey to the capital." Sensing that he would send them out, everyone except for Katara and Hakoda left the war room and went on preparing supplies for Katara's trip.

"Dad, I don't want to do this. I don't know if I _can_ do this," Katara blurted out. Her olive-toned cheeks turned pink with embarrassment at the admittance of her fear. "I don't understand why any of this is happening…"

Her father's eyes were gentle as he spoke. "Katara, as my daughter, you are practically the princess of the tribe. Not practically… you _are_ the Princess of the Southern Water Tribe." Hakoda rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "We might not be as well off as the North Pole and I can't give you what Yue has, but even if it's just a title, its meaning is still true."

Katara nodded. "I know. And I have a duty to my people and my nation and I should be willing to do whatever it takes for their safety and well being." She sighed heavily.

"As you go through life, you'll see there are so many things that we don't recognize. The only thing we know for sure is that things don't always go the way that they're planned," he explained. "No matter what, Katara, we will stand by your side with pride and hope because as I said earlier, we are more than just one individual. We're one tribe, one nation, and we share one heart."

"It's just—I feel like that there's so much I have to be. I know I have to act a certain way, especially around the Northerners, but can't I just be me the way I am? And I'm so uncertain. Can I trust my heart during this plan, or am I just some part of the plan?"

Hakoda hugged his daughter tightly, whispering, "You're so young but you've gone through so much. There's loss of those who are gone, but we need to remember they're part of the spirits that guide us as we move on. Your journey's only beginning, Katara. Remember one thing: trust in your heart and listen to your instincts." He pat her head comfortingly. "We're still a family even if we're separated by continents."

"Katara, listen to me. I'm proud of you, but you need to be careful. You're only fifteen but you're going to have to undergo something that requires the experience and endurance of a great spirit. But I trust in Tui and La to give you the strength to go through it. But you're not doing this alone. Sokka will go with you, but as another servant. You two will be separated for much of the mission and you can't let it be known that you know each other… but have faith in your big brother to look out for you." He looked towards the exit and sighed. "I'm going to check on the ship. You need to see the council women for information."

Katara and Hakoda left the grand igloo and separated, him towards the shore, and she towards the igloo of women who would be waiting to give her instructions. She entered the hut and found a group of women, middle-aged and elderly, who had items bearing the Fire Nation insignia. She laughed with relief when she saw Gran-Gran among them and hugged her.

Kanna chuckled and embraced her granddaughter lovingly. Once they pulled apart, she sat Katara down in front of the group of women. "Katara, you will have to enter the Fire Nation Capital and pretend to be a refugee with no family as a result of the war and you are penniless and starving." She waved several of the women forward and Katara saw different clothes in various shades of black, red, and gold.

Kanna's face fell as she continued explaining, "What I have to ask of you next, is heartbreaking for me." She shook her head, "We have to ask you to push away the customs of the Water Nation that uphold a woman's honor and dignity."

"Gran-Gran? I don't understand."

A woman that Katara recognized as Bato's recently engaged fiancée spoke up, "The Fire Nation is very different from us. They are not so traditional, especially when it comes to their women. The only way you can get into the Fire Nation Palace is as a servant, and even that's difficult. We've received intelligence from the allies we have located in the Fire Nation that Ozai is planning something where his son, Prince Zuko, will need a new servant."

Katara raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips. "And that's where I come in, I suppose?" She pouted, whispering, "How exactly will I have to become a Fire Nation woman?"

"Katara, you know that as Water Tribe women, we're under the influence of the Moon just as the Ocean is, right? And you already have your monthly bleeding, which coincides with the push and pull of the tides." The women looked at each other and back at Katara comfortingly. "Well, as a young woman, you'll notice that men start to desire certain things, our body, even."

Blood immediately rushed to Katara's cheeks as she took in the woman's words. "If you're talking about sex, then I understand how that works." She looked away, embarrassed. "Gran-Gran and I already had that talk when I started bleeding."

"Katara, we're not asking for that from you when you arrive in the Fire Nation. However, we have set it up so that you will act as a waitress in a brothel in the Capital. There, you'll have to attract the attention of Fire Nation Royal Guards."

Kanna added, "If they are intrigued, they will most likely send word to Fire Lord Ozai." She smiled warmly. "But I have every belief that this is not the part of the plan we need to worry about. You are exotic and beautiful."

"So, what we're going to do is teach you Fire Nation etiquette and as much of the culture as we know." Bato's fiancée held up an outfit that showed considerably more flesh than what Katara was accustomed to. "First, we will need to change your appearance. We have some Fire Nation clothes and while you're there, you need to remember to steer clear of blue and buy red and gold in abundance. As for your hair," she lightly fingered Katara's long braid, "you'll have to get used to leaving it down and putting up your hair loopies in a top knot or bun." She gently pulled the tie from the end of the braid and allowed her wavy brown hair to fall on her shoulders.

"You'll also have to stop from wearing your mother's necklace, Katara."

Katara's hand immediately went to the smooth pendant nestled in the hollow in the middle of her collarbone and widened her azure orbs at her grandmother incredulously. "Mom's necklace?"

"It has the Water Tribe Crest carved onto it."

Slightly hanging her head, Katara relented, "I suppose you're right." She unfastened the choker from around her neck and handed it to her grandmother who gently packed it at the bottom of the small bag that Katara could see was already packed with several other outfits and ornaments to place in the bun her hair would be in. "What else do I have to change about myself?"

The women around her shared a sad smile and Kanna shook her head. "We will teach you etiquette expected of a woman in the Fire Nation. However, this is only for a servant. Women in the Fire Nation have much more freedom than what is found in the Water Tribe, even here at the South Pole. As you will be posing as a waitress in a brothel, I doubt that you will have to hold back the fiery nature of your temper. Once you become Zuko's personal maid, however, you must become more obedient and sophisticated."

"Okay… act crass and then demure. Got it."

"Bow for me, Katara."

Raising her eyebrows, Katara shrugged. She stood straight, placing her hands on her lap, one over the other and hinged at the hips. Her upper body lowered and her head hung, parallel to the ground. Katara looked up through the curtain of hair around her face and straightened herself. Bato's fiancée stood behind her and took her arms.

"Here… make a fist with your right hand… yes… and no, don't rotate it. Keep it vertical and touch it to your left palm… Good." She stood in front of Katara and instructed, "Lower your arms from your chest line to below, just above your navel." The woman mirrored Katara and, instead of the elegant, deep bow that Katara had made, slightly leaned her upper body forward in a quick, sharp motion, bowing her head as well, as opposed to letting it hang parallel. "Now you follow… yes, like that. You will have to bow like that to those superior to you when greeting someone and leaving. If you are merely receiving orders, the bow isn't necessary and you simply make the hand gesture."

Katara nodded. "Okay… I got that too."

After several more hours of training from the woman in the small igloo, Katara took whatever they had that came from the Fire Nation, placed it into her bag and changed quickly into one of the outfits they had given her after they had left to give her privacy. Katara removed the several layers of thick, blue, fur-trimmed clothing, leaving behind her parka, gloves, robe, pants, and boots. She quickly unbound the blue wrist guards and replaced them with the golden guards within the pile of clothes she had. She pulled on the rich, red pants that ended at her knee and pulled on the tall beige boots. Katara chose a sleeveless red cheongsam top that provided a collar around her neck, giving her the feeling of warmth within the frozen tundra. Finally, she tied a large golden sash around her waist with a flap of red fabric at her front and a longer one in the back. She pulled up the front of her hair into a top knot and made her way out of the igloo, wrapping a dark red cloak with gold trimming around her, pulling up the hood as she walked towards the ship.

As the large sail of the cutter ship came into view, Katara smiled in spite of herself at the crowd of her people awaiting her departure. Before she could get a word out, Katara found herself enveloped in a large group hug and stifled a laugh, covering her hand with her mouth as she saw Sokka scowling in his Fire Nation garb, in which he was obviously freezing.

Sokka's eyes narrowed into a glare that she was already familiar, and therefore not threatened by, causing Katara's shoulders to shake imperceptibly. However, he noticed and his scowl deepened as he folded his arms across his chest, both as a sign of annoyance and to warm his bare arms.

"Shut up, Katara."

Shrugging her shoulders innocently, Katara replied, "I didn't say anything Sokka."

Ignoring his sister, Sokka said goodbye to all of the men, gripping each other's forearms. As he faced Hakoda, he stuck his hand out but his father mussed his hair affectionately and pulled him close for a hug and beckoned for Katara to join.

"You two are my greatest treasures and the biggest hope for our nation right now. Be safe; look out for each other."

Katara and Sokka nodded, tears filling Katara's ocean eyes to the brim. "It'll be a piece of cake, Dad. We'll be back home before you know it."

Sokka nodded. "Yeah and I'll keep Katara out of trouble." He puffed out his chest in order to emphasize his words, causing Katara to snort.

"Alright you two. Stay safe." Hakoda watched his children board the boat and lean over the railing, his eyes trained on their disappearing figures until the cutter ship disappeared beyond the horizon, turning past a glacier.

* * *

Katara held on to her older brother tightly, not once relinquishing her hold since they had docked at the port. They had arrived at the Fire Nation Capital City. Sokka would stay on board and dock somewhere else in the Earth Kingdom, presumably Full Moon Bay, where he would pose as a fisherman on his way to the Fire Nation for trade. It was essential, that if Spirits forbid, one of them gets found out, the mission not be jeopardized by it being known they had come into contact.

"It's okay Katara. I'll be here at the Fire Nation a couple of weeks after you get to the palace. I'll make sure I find a way to watch over your ass."

Katara slapped her brother's shoulder. "Shut up. I'm still going to miss you. And who's going to help you survive? You don't know how to cook, you'll forget to bathe, you'll get scammed or—"

"Thanks _mother_, but you've raised me well." His eyes became gentle. "I'll be fine Katara. You just make sure that you take care of yourself until I get there. Otherwise, I'll hunt you down in the Spirit World and give you a good lecture."

Katara responded by pulling down the lower lid of one of her eyes and sticking her tongue out. She harrumphed and began stomping away.

Once they had docked, she followed the instructions the elder woman of her tribe had given her. She entered the city with little hassle from the Fire Nation Soldiers and made her way into what seemed to be the seedy district and the hot weather had her take off her cloak quickly. The fine hair on the back of her neck stood on end when Katara realized that several men stared at her as she walked by, some whistling or calling out obscenities.

For some reason she didn't know, Katara was able to find the brothel without much hassle and she thanked the Spirits for that. As it was mid-afternoon, it was empty and the bartender told her that the girls were sleeping.

"If you want a job, you'll have to take it up with Kido." He continued wiping down the bar without looking at Katara, something she was grateful for.

"Kido?"

"Yeah. He's the one who runs this place. You know, the big guy… the one who the girls work for?"

"Where can I find him?"

"Tell you what. Head upstairs, find a girl that's awake, and they'll probably give you a job and Kido won't even mind." He stared at her intently now. "I don't think he'd mind keeping you around, either. Those eyes of yours are bound to attract some customers."

"…Thank you?" Katara rubbed her arm nervously. He nodded at the stairs in the corner of the bar and she made her way up, noticing the room underneath the staircase that was curtained off. She had a sinking feeling about what _that_ room's purpose was.

Immediately, she started working as a waitress, the older girls taking a liking to her, treating her as a little sister and protecting her as such from the more lecherous characters that came into the brothel. As Katara cleaned up a table after a man had disappeared with one of the girls into the curtained room, she tugged down on her top in a vain attempt to cover herself.

Unfortunately, they couldn't protect her from the mandatory uniform and she was forced to wear a short skirt that barely covered her legs with a tight top that showed her midriff. The top was held up by a knot around her neck and was a bandeau, wrapping around her chest. She had a sheer red bolero to wear over it. The skirt ended mid-thigh and had a slit on one side that ended just below her hips. As the bartender predicted, Kido was pleased with his latest waitress due to her startling blue eyes and had the girls accentuate the feature with make-up.

While Katara placed the dirty dishes in the sink, she heard loud moans come from the curtained room and rapid gasps after that and blushed, though the patrons paid no thought to the erotic sounds. While she placed hot cups of tea on her tray, she jumped when a man groaned loudly. She caught the bartender's eyes and blushed again.

"You get used to it," he shrugged.

"It's been two weeks. When does the whole 'getting used to it' start?" Katara's voice was dripping with sarcasm. He showed her an apologetic smile and Katara continued working.

Katara was harassed all night by old men who had drank too much but the older girls had protected her by diverting attention onto themselves, for which she was eternally grateful, although there were plenty of moments where she had no problem slapping customers whose hands had wandered. She continued to be invisible, bringing orders to tables and cleaning up.

Kido sat by the bar and stared at her. He turned to the bartender commenting, "The new girl's a beauty." At his employee's nod, he continued, "You know, I heard that Fire Lord Ozai is looking for a girl to give to Prince Zuko for his birthday. A servant or concubine. Same thing, if you ask me; pussy is pussy. A concubine will _serve_ and fucking a servant won't make any difference."

Katara was within earshot and froze for a split-second before continuing her work. She silently prayed to Tui and La that she would be able to make it through her mission. The doors of the brothel opened and she recognized two men as Fire Nation Royal Guards. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw Kido make his way over and she turned away, knowing that he would be pointing her out to them. She tensed when she heard Kido call out to her. She placed the tray of empty cups onto the bar and her eyes met with the bartender's, whose eyes appeared sad.

"Katara! Get your ass over here!"

Katara raised an eyebrow at Kido and sucked her teeth, placing her hands on her hips. "Excuse me?" She waved a hand across the bar. "In case you haven't noticed, this place is a pig sty and I'm the only one cleaning it up, as well as serving these low-lives you call customers!"She grunted and struggled when Kido grabbed her elbow roughly, practically dragging her to the soldiers.

They had removed their skeletal masks and Katara saw that they both had identical facial hair and the same look in their eyes. She supposed that individuality was disposed of at the Fire Nation's military academy.

One observed, "Peculiar eyes… you said her name was Katara?"

"Not a typical Fire Nation name."

Kido laughed it off. "Of course not. Tell them why, Katara."

Katara's eyes widened while she panicked internally. "It's not that common in the… uh… colonies. I'm from the Fire Nation Colonies in the western Earth Kingdom. I have no family so I decided to leave and come here."

_I should get used to telling this story…_ she thought quickly.

"Well she's pretty enough. But I don't know if she'll please Fire Lord Ozai."

Kido eagerly offered, "Would the Fire Lord like to see her for himself?"

One of the men's amber eyes widened. "No. We wouldn't want to anger him if he's displeased." He stroked his goatee. "How about you give us soldiers a private show with all of your girls and we'll pick the best one." He laughed heartily with the other officer and Katara felt her blood run cold.

"Yes, whatever you like."

Kido was able to clear out the bar of all customers so that the two Fire Nation guards were alone and seated comfortably in front of a platform behind the curtained room. Katara stood nervously and jumped when one of the girls touched her shoulder.

"Don't' worry Katara. We know how important this is so we'll make sure you look good."

"Huh?"

The girls huddled together near her and one reached into her showing cleavage, pulling out a small heirloom bearing the symbol of the Water Tribe. Her grey eyes began to shine with tears. "It's been a long time since I've been home. I was taken during a Fire Nation raid. But I when I received a messenger hawk saying you were coming, I knew I had to help."

Katara stared back into Haku's eyes and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and turned to the other girls. "So you guys are the connection that my Gran-Gran was talking about?"

The scantily clad girls nodded and shrugged. "We're here to serve."

Kido's words about serving echoed in Katara's mind and she shuddered. "Okay, but how can you possibly make me look good? I'm fifteen! I don't exactly know much about… being… well…"

"You're a Waterbender aren't you?" The older woman tucked the heirloom back where it was and held Katara's shoulders. "So rhythm and flow come naturally to you. Just remember who you are, Katara, and move."

Sultry music began playing and Katara's heart started pumping. They gently nudged her onto the platform and Katara saw the two guards' eyes trained on her.

_I'm a Waterbender. Flow and rhythm are part of my nature. Just move, Katara!_

Katara moved slowly at first, waving her arms in a familiar form that she used to create the Octopus Stance, resembling the rise and fall of ocean waves. She then swayed her hips in what she hoped was a sensual nature. She looked timidly at the guards and blushed when she saw that they had not removed their gaze from her figure. Katara raised her arms above her head and intertwined them, twirling around, her hips rotating as she moved in a spiral motion. As she spun, her slowly lowered her arms moving them from side to side, shifting her weight into different stances of stances. Katara twisted and turned in rhythm with the music, using the slow, elegant, turns of Waterbending as her guide. She bent backwards, rotating her chest and straightened her posture, putting her weight on one foot as she pointed her other foot, lifting that hip up and down as she had her arms out to the side, mimicking the waves again before turning around in slow circles, her arms spiraling around her entrancingly.

Lifting up a leg, Katara leaned backwards, pointing her toes before she leapt up and twirled, her arms crossed loosely in front of her chest. She stretched her right arm out and leaned to the right before slightly lifting her left leg and shifted her weight so that she spun on her left leg in her next movement. Katara looked up and lifted her hands, as if she were cradling the moon in her hand, her hips swaying and she rotated her wrists around each other, not letting her skin separate. Still moving her arms, she shifted into a back bend and ticked her chest to the side in time with the music before she stood up and twirled one last time, swirling her arms above her head in a wide arc and finishing.

Once the music ended, Katara was slightly panting and a slow clap came from the curtain at the entrance of the room. Immediately, the two Fire Nation guards rose from their seats and fell to the floor onto their knees, bowing. Kido followed and Katara was about to when an authoritative voice commanded, "Do not bow, girl. I want to see your face."

Katara lifted her head proudly and stared at the figure at the shadows. The man soon stepped into the glow of the dim candlelight and Katara saw the five pronged flame in the top knot of his long, glossy black hair. The man was handsome, but he had what seemed to be a permanent expression that immediately alienated him. Katara concluded that the look was emotionless cruelty. He was cold and calculating. Cold fury filled every fiber of her being and her arms itched to attack him. Katara inhaled deeply, clenching her fists stiffly to her sides.

Fire Lord Ozai stepped onto the platform in front of Katara and studied her features carefully. Katara saw the slightest change in the set of his face when his golden eyes widened a fraction of a millimeter when he noticed Katara's sapphire eyes. "Hmmm… seeing you dance and your different features, I believe you'll make an excellent gift for my son, Prince Zuko."

His forehead still touching the floor, Kido gushed, "Thank you Fire Lord. You have excellent taste. I am grateful you are taking a girl from my brothel."

"Yes… this girl's different looks and natural rhythm make me think that she will suit Zuko's taste. He is not one for the traditions of our nation." His mouth slightly changed to form something Katara couldn't describe except as a mix between a smirk and a frown. "You will be my son's concubine and personal servant. Do you understand?"

Katara froze but she recovered quickly, giving a sharp bowing, her hand forming a fist that touched her other palm. "Yes, Fire Lord Ozai."

"You'll be taken to the palace tonight, where you will be given instructions by my daughter and her advisors. You will be presented at my son's seventeenth birthday celebration as well."

Giving her another look over, Ozai swept out of the room, his robes billowing around his form as he pulled away the curtain, nearly ripping it off. His indistinct barks of orders could be heard and quickly disappeared. Before Katara could move, the two guards grabbed each of her upper arms and dragged her away.

"Wait! Her belongings!"

Turning her head back in time to catch a glimpse of Haku hurrying after them, a bag in her hands, Katara let out a small yelp when a cloak was forced on her and the hood pulled on, the bag thrust into her arms. She struggled against the arms gripping her tightly. Katara felt the curtain as they pushed through it and she immediately knew when they had exited the brothel. Though the Fire Nation Capital was located in the crater of a dormant volcano and constantly smelled like fire, the seedy district had a distinct smell of smoke, sweat, and sex. Katara felt herself move through another set of curtains, though the fabric was much softer and lighter. She landed onto a firm, yet cushioned surface with a grunt and her hood fell back slightly.

Katara pulled the rest of the hood down after massaging her sore upper arms and looked around, realizing the soft fabric was actually the silk curtain surrounding her in her palanquin. She gasped when it suddenly jostled and she found herself being taken to a much nicer district, the houses become much more ornate and the air becoming clearer. Katara was in awe in spite of herself when she saw the tall Fire Nation Royal Palace.

The palace was a tall building, resembling a pagoda. There was a long courtyard that the palanquin had to move through after being allowed past the tall stone gates with guards monitoring from up top. The tall building had two ground level wings protrude from the sides and turn ninety degrees to stretch towards the gates, parallel to the courtyard. Katara was surprised to see that the men lifting her were able to do so effortlessly, even as they climbed up the steps to the palace entrance. Once they lowered her, two old twin women greeted her in the foyer, giving her identical crinkly-eyed smiles.

"Hello, Katara," they greeted in unison. "We are Lo and Li, royal advisors to Princess Azula and therefore, the ones you must answer to, besides Prince Zuko. Do you understand why you are here?"

"Uhm… Fire Lord Ozai said I would be presented to Prince Zuko as a gift for his seventeenth birthday." As she spoke, Katara shuddered and tightened her arms to her body in a vain attempt to hide it.

"You will be his personal maid and if need be, his concubine." Katara had no idea who just spoke but she nodded numbly as they gestured for her to follow.

The hallways of the Fire Nation Palace were as grand and ornate as the pagoda appeared from the outside. They were wide with dark red coloring the ceiling, walls, and the rug stretching across the floor. Every so often, a detailed royal portrait would appear on the wall and Katara suppressed the urge to cringe or frown at the former Fire Lords. They definitely fit the scary, crazy archetype Sokka had given them.

They stopped in front of two large doors and the servants standing by the doors' edges immediately motioned to open the doors. As the doors swung in, Katara let out an audible gasp, extracting identical chuckles from the two old ladies in front of her.

The room was, of course, colored in the typical Fire Nation color scheme of red and gold and was extremely spacious. On the opposite wall, there was a large red tapestry that almost covered the entire wall, depicting two golden dragons and from which there was a spout, spilling water into a trough with chairs placed in front for users to have their hair washed. There were several tiny tables with beauty supplies such as nail files, combs, and make up. Katara walked past the doorway and up the two steps leading to the spa, where she noticed that three of the chairs had occupants.

Once again in unison, they brought her in, "Welcome, Katara, to the Royal Spa, used only by the Fire Nation's Royal Family and their close friends and most trusted advisors." They turned away from the stunned Waterbender and smiled at each other eagerly.

The sound of someone clearing her throat captured the old women's attention and they bowed. Katara hurried to do the same when a voice cut echoed through the room authoritatively, yet somewhat bored. "Don't bother. So _you're_ the gift Father got for Zu-Zu?"

Katara straightened up from her bow and kept her eyes downcast, allowing her thick, brown waves to shadow her face. Meekly, she answered, "Yes."

_What a waste of time, learning how to bow. It seems that Fire Nation Royalty don't want to waste time with barking orders._

"My, you sound excited." Katara couldn't be sure but it almost sounded as if the young woman was sneering at her and fought a growl. "I suppose this proves that I'm the favorite child, doesn't it? I mean, your complexion is so dark. I suppose Zuko wasn't worthy of a _clean_, fair-skinned woman—someone who could at least _resemble_ a real woman. Or who knows? Maybe you're just in need of a good scrub."

Incensed at being called dirty, Katara snapped her eyes up at the Fire Nation Princess to glare dangerously. She smirked smugly when she saw the princess's shocked expression once she saw Katara's face. It wasn't noticeable, but by the way her dark, defined eyebrows perked up minutely and her narrow golden eyes widened by a fraction of an inch and the slight change in the set of her mouth, Katara could tell that she had definitely made an impression.

However, Azula was skilled at hiding her emotions and letting them go. As soon as Katara noticed the girl's change in expression, it had disappeared. Coolly, she continued, "I suppose that the little slut can dance well." She sighed and turned, bringing to their attention for the first time, two other girls relaxing as they had their scalps scrubbed with foamy lather. "What do you think Ty Lee? Will Zu-Zu appreciate his birthday gift? Mai? How do _you_ feel about Zuko's personal whore?" Her gold eyes glinted with what Katara was sure to be pleasure and anticipation for this Mai girl's answer. Azula lowered her head back down so that the spa attendant could finish washing her long dark hair.

Instead, the other girl lifted her head and looked over Katara curiously, as if she were some shiny new toy. Although, Katara had to admit that, technically, this was what she was to them—a new toy to order around and laugh at. The girl smiled at her and Katara raised her eyebrows and let her jaw drop in surprise. "I think she's pretty. Ooh! And look at her eyes, they're so _blue!_" She looked across Azula and asked, "Don't you think she's pretty, Mai?"

The third girl was pale with long, shiny black hair and thin features, which made her look like nobility. She had a narrow, straight nose that was only slightly upturned in subtle superiority, high prominent cheekbones, and even sitting, Katara could take notice of the grace she knew the girl possessed when she moved. Her straight, blunt bangs cut straight across her brow line but Katara could still see her golden eyes just beneath the thick hair. She gulped nervously, though she didn't know why. Mai lifted her head and sighed audibly, looking over the girl quickly and lowering her head again. "Yeah, she's pretty."

Ty Lee didn't lie back down and her attendant crossed her arms, scowling at the perky girl, unable to do her job. "That's all you have to say? Hmm… your aura is still the same, no anger present. You _really_ don't care that Fire Lord Ozai got your boyfriend a uhm… a gift?" She giggled uncomfortably. "I'm sorry," she apologized to Katara. "I don't know exactly how to—"

"Oh, honestly Ty Lee. She's a slut, a whore, a prostitute, a tramp. My father _bought_ her so that Zuko could do whatever he wants to with her. And it's simple to know what seventeen year old boys want from girls like her."

Katara felt her eyes brim over in tears, but they were of fury. She took a deep breath and tried to remember that this was her cover. She _was_, for all intents and purposes, the prince's whore. "She's right, miss." Katara bowed her head to Ty Lee. "I am nothing but a servant."

Azula narrowed her eyes at the new girl but dismissed her growing suspicion. She was, as she stated, nothing but a servant. "Yes, however, as you are to be a gift for my dum-dum brother, you must still look presentable. I suppose that's why Li and Lo brought you here. Am I right?"

"Yes, Princess. We have come so that you may deem her presentable, along with your honored friends." Li and Lo bowed again to the teenage girl and backed out of the doors when Azula raised a hand to wave them away.

Once the three girls' hair was rinsed, they had Katara wait while they had their hair done for Prince Zuko's birthday ball that night. Ty Lee was amiable and genuinely curious in Katara, which the undercover Waterbender greatly appreciated. They continued conversing while Ty Lee's straight brown hair was twisted together into a long braid.

"So where are you from… I'm sorry. What's your name?" She offered her hand. "I'm Ty Lee. I've known Azula since we were little and had to go to the Fire Nation Royal Academy for Girls."

Chuckling softly, Katara shook her hand. "I'm Katara. I'm from one of the colonies."

This seemed to pique Azula's interest. "Really? Where?"

"From the western Earth Kingdom, close to the Seedy Merchant District, which was how I got passage to the Fire Nation. I was told that my family originally came from farther south, but since they've been dead since I was a little kid, I wouldn't know." Katara looked away, shutting her eyes tightly, part of it acting, part of it real, hoping that she wasn't overdoing it.

Azula seemed to have lost her interest, realizing that it was nothing more than a sob story about how the Fire Nation ruined another person's life. "But now you're here, in the Fire Nation's Royal Palace, thanks to that. Be grateful."

"Yes, Princess Azula. I am."

Ty Lee smiled supportively. "Look at that! I think everyone's auras brightened up a little. Even Mai's is a little lighter. I can tell that we'll be great friends, Katara! I'll even teach how you how to block chi."

Mai rolled her eyes. "What fun."

"Yes… it _does_ seem like fun. Tell me, Katara, during your time in the Merchant District, how did you exactly defend yourself from pirates and other stupid men?"

"Growing up in a place like that, you learn how to take care of yourself, I guess." She shrugged. "I did meet this one bounty hunter and she helped me out a couple of times. Jun… I think was her name." Katara allowed a small smile of fondness to grace her lips when she remembered how Jun had Nyla paralyze Sokka when she was on their way to the North Pole after he had annoyed her.

Mai sighed again. "Look, the ball starts in a couple of hours. We still need to get her ready. And I don't feel like having anyone blame me for having the birthday boy getting his gift late."

Ty Lee giggled. "But then you could just well… please him, couldn't you Mai? Work your womanly magic!" She winked at the girl and guffawed when the usually impassive girl allowed a slight blush to color her cheeks.

"No, she's right. We need to clean her up. Besides, that's Katara's job now." Azula tightened her robe around her body and descended the few steps leading towards the grand doors. "Get her and yourselves ready. I'll meet you at the ball." She paused for the maids to open the doors and passed through haughtily before they hurriedly closed it behind her.

Katara's ocean eyes widened. "No, really. Don't worry about me. I can bathe and everything by myself."

"Suit yourself. I'm leaving." Mai left in a similar fashion to Azula, leaving Katara and Ty Lee alone to themselves.

"Come on, Katara. I'll take you to the hot tubs!" She tugged on Katara's bare arm and pulled harder when Katara struggled away. "Don't…. be…shy!" she grunted, "We're… all.. girls!" Suddenly, she let go and Katara almost fell backwards.

Catching herself, Katara laughed nervously. "No, really Ty Lee. I'm just a maid. I feel uncomfortable having you help me. I'm just a peasant."

_Okay, I'm the Princess of the Southern Water Tribe… but still. I'm in no way similar to the princess that Yue or Azula are._

"Nonsense. As Zuko's concubine…er…mistress? Do you prefer that? Anyway, as such, you're technically part of the royal family, except on a lower level. Especially since any heirs you conceive might be in line for Fire Lord if Zuko and his future wife don't have any sons."

Katara's olive cheeks colored. "Okay… I guess." Sheepishly, she rubbed one arm. "So friends?"

Ty Lee returned with a toothy grin. "Friends! And don't' worry about Azula or Mai; they're always like that, especially Mai." She pulled her to seat and allowed her to lay her head in the trough. "Now prepare to get pampered."

* * *

The vast ballroom of the palace was filled with high ranking military officers and wealthy upper class Fire Nation nobility, all of whom meant nothing to Prince Zuko. He leaned over the sink in his bathroom, his hands gripping the edges of the sink as he stared at the mirror. He inwardly groaned at the thought of the high society throwing their teenage daughters at him, hoping to become part of Fire Nation Royalty.

A duet of elderly voices spoke behind him, "Prince Zuko, you have not started getting dressed? Many of your honored guests have already arrived and are waiting for you to come and greet them."

He closed his golden eyes in frustration. "I'll be there," he muttered.

"But Prince Zuk—"

He whirled around. "I said I'd be there, wouldn't I?" he roared. "Goddamn it! Leave me! Or else, I swear to Agni…"

Lo and Li bowed quickly and left his bedroom in a hurry. Zuko turned back to the mirror, breathing deeply, feeling the steam exit his nostrils. He punched the wall next to the mirror, his anger getting the best of him as the impact left a black scorch mark on the scarlet wall.

"You should really work on that anger problem, you know," a gentle voice suggested.

Zuko turned around and allowed a rare smile to grace his handsome face as he took sight of his girlfriend smirking slightly at him. He shrugged. "I've been told that it's common for males to feel this way unless they find someone to keep them calm."

Mai raised her eyebrows and stood behind him, helping him into his elegant robes. "You make it sound as if we're komodo rhinos. Or platypus bears." She turned him around and held a thin hand to one of his cheeks, smiling gently. "Happy birthday." She closed her eyes and slightly cocked her head to the side, feeling his warm, soft lips press against her own and his arms snake around her. She broke apart, her hand still on his face. "Now finish getting ready. I'll see you downstairs."

Zuko didn't release his hold and lowered his head so that his lips met hers again in a chaste kiss before he finally let her go, a small blush on her cheeks, causing him to smirk slightly in arrogance. Zuko watched his girlfriend leave the room and turned back to the face the mirror again. He pulled his shaggy black hair up and fastened it into a top knot, securing a two-pronged flame hair piece into place. He frowned slightly, noting how much he looked like his and Azula's nearly forgotten mother, Ursa. It had been eleven long years since she had left them in the dark of night.

"I wish you were here, Mom." He sighed and left the bedroom, nodding to acknowledge the bows and greetings the servants would give him before he stepped into the ballroom.

Immediately, he took refuge by staying close to who Azula called their "fuddy-duddy tea-loving loser", Uncle Iroh. He smiled faintly at the old man, grinning when he placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"Happy birthday, Prince Zuko. You know, the seventeenth birthday is very important in a boy's life. It is the time he becomes a _man_."

"Thanks, Uncle." Zuko took the cup of tea from Iroh, drinking the traditional Spiced Ginger Tea, relishing in the liquid flames engulfing the cavern of his mouth and traveling down his throat. He suppressed the urge to slap his palm to his forehead when he could feel the presence of a family behind him, ready to push their daughter onto him.

_Might as well get this over with._

As he turned to greet them and thank them for celebrating his birthday with him, he was suddenly grateful to his father as the Fire Lord stood on the dais, surrounded by bright, glowing flames. He beckoned to Zuko, who apologized quickly to the family before hurrying to kneel before his father.

"Now, Prince Zuko, it's your birthday. No need to bow." Fire Lord Ozai gestured for Zuko to rise and his son complied. He continued, "For my son's seventeenth birthday, I went out in search of a gift to symbolize the man that he has now become. I decided it was time to reward Zuko with his own personal servant to give him a taste of the power and influence he shall receive once he is Fire Lord, once I'm dead, of course."

Zuko cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "My own servant?"

Ozai waved his arm and the doors opened and Princess Azula led the way in, her long dark hair out of its usual bun so that it reached the small of her back. Behind her, Mai and Ty Lee flanked a new girl who stood out immediately from the trio of Fire Nation Nobility. Before noticing her, Zuko took note of Mai, which he had not done when she was in his room earlier, whose glossy black hair was not pulled into a large bun with the two smaller buns on top but instead her hair was left down, save for the front, which was pulled back and fastened in an elegant knot atop her head in a half-updo. Her high cheekbones were accentuated with the slightest of pink blush and her gold eyes lined with black. Zuko practically felt himself salivate at the sight of his girlfriend until his father's booming voice broke into his fantasies.

"What do you think, son?"

It was then Zuko had to tear his gaze away from his distracting girlfriend and to his gift. His topaz irises widened when he noticed that his servant certainly did not look like a servant. Unlike every other woman, she immediately stood out with her tanned, olive complexion, her wavy, soft brown hair, and her large cerulean orbs. The Crown Prince gulped as his gaze left her face, down her long, graceful neck to the rest of her body. He could see that she was not soft or delicate like the girls he knew, but strong. Her upper arms had thin gold bands around them, as well as her wrist. She had on a red halter top that ended just above her bare midriff, which took the shape of an hour glass and widened to her shapely hips, hidden by the long scarlet skirt. The material was thin and Zuko could vaguely make out the girl's long, thin legs.

He raised his eyes again and this time, they met hers, staring back at him in awe. Katara couldn't help but stare at him. Spirits, he was handsome. He had soft, intelligent golden eyes and his features were masculine, but not so hard that he was burly or intimidating, unless he was perhaps angered. His complexion was as smooth and pale as cream and her eyes moved to his seemingly soft, pale pink lips. Though he was wearing long, elegant robes, Katara could imagine his body and his muscles that would ripple as he moved. The thought caused a familiar heat to rise in her cheeks as they colored pink. She smiled softly at him, shocked to see him return it.

"Thank you, Father," he replied breathlessly.

* * *

I really love this couple and I want to do them justice. So please, put in your two cents and tell me what you thought: what you hated, what you liked, what you wanted. Read, Review, Wonder.


	3. The Difference

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs purely to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Chapter 2: The Difference

* * *

**Summary: **As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty and life, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

_Last Time…_

"_What do you think, son?"_

_It was then Zuko had to tear his gaze away from his distracting girlfriend and to his gift. His topaz irises widened when he noticed that his servant certainly did not look like a servant. Unlike every other woman, she immediately stood out with her tanned, olive complexion, her wavy, soft brown hair, and her large cerulean orbs. The Crown Prince gulped as his gaze left her face, down her long, graceful neck to the rest of her body. He could see that she was not soft or delicate like the girls he knew, but strong. Her upper arms had thin gold bands around them, as well as her wrist. She had on a red halter top that ended just above her bare midriff, which took the shape of an hour glass and widened to her shapely hips, hidden by the long scarlet skirt. The material was thin and Zuko could vaguely make out the girl's long, thin legs._

_He raised his eyes again and this time, they met hers, staring back at him in awe. Katara couldn't help but stare at him. Spirits, he was handsome. He had soft, intelligent golden eyes and his features were masculine, but not so hard that he was burly or intimidating, unless he was perhaps angered. His complexion was as smooth and pale as cream and her eyes moved to his seemingly soft, pale pink lips. Though he was wearing long, elegant robes, Katara could imagine his body and his muscles that would ripple as he moved. The thought caused a familiar heat to rise in her cheeks as they colored pink. She smiled softly at him, shocked to see him return it._

"_Thank you, Father," he replied breathlessly._

* * *

Katara's blush deepened as the Fire Nation Prince's piercing golden eyes looked her over and she silently cursed when she wondered if it was noticeable on the rest of her exposed body, where she felt the heat spread. She turned her arctic eyes away from the handsome prince, turning them downcast while she bit down on her lower lip nervously. Katara felt an elbow to her side and she turned to her right side, where Ty Lee widened her eyes and nodded her head in front of Katara. Raising her eyebrows, Katara looked in front of her and mentally smacked herself.

Prince Zuko held his hand out in front of her and she gulped nervously, taking his hand in hers. He had an eyebrow cocked upwards in amused curiosity mixed with confusion. He must have been holding out his hand for a while. Smiling diffidently, Katara allowed her tiny hand fall into his much larger one, his fingers closing easily over her entire hand. Katara let out a barely audible gasp when she first made contact with the creamy appendage. It was so warm. But that wasn't what made Katara gasp. Their hands fit perfectly.

It had always been one of the Water Tribe traditions, or rather, superstitions, that when you found your true love, the one that destiny had written you were to spend the rest of your life with, you would know it immediately by the way your hands fit together. Katara stared at their joined hands with interest as he presented her, his father's gift, to the entire ballroom. It shouldn't have fit like two simple puzzle pieces. They were such complete opposites. Compared to her tiny, soft, russet colored hand, Zuko's was large, rough with calluses, and a creamy, ivory color in skin tone. But they did.

"No… it couldn't be. I must be going crazy," she muttered.

"I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

"Huh?" Katara turned her line of vision to the Prince's face and was momentarily stunned for a second, heat spreading throughout her body again, but in an unfamiliar heat that was separate from the heat she felt from anger or humiliation. She blinked her exotic eyes, adjusting to the sight his face was in its magnificence. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just not exactly a part of this crowd. It seems surreal."

Zuko chuckled lightly through his nose, though Katara could tell that it wasn't one of those polite laughs someone makes when they have no idea what you're talking about and she smiled genuinely in return, having decided that she liked the sound of his laugh, no matter how quiet it was.

He looked away from her, and Katara heard her brother's voice in her head, screaming annoyingly about how a stupid attraction that was only physical mixed with a Water Tribe superstition were not good enough reasons to put the mission in jeopardy.

'_Katara, are you being serious? How could you think to ruin everything our tribe has worked for just because of a spoiled, selfish, _Fire Nation_, brat? Think about what the Fire Nation has done to our tribe, to the world! An entire nation has been destroyed! That could be us next! Think of our _mother!'

"Shut up…" she muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose in between her thumb and forefinger. Katara exhaled sharply, dropping her hand, and felt Zuko lead her in front of the flaming dais where his father, Fire Lord Ozai, now sat on his elaborate throne, and looked down upon them. She felt her muscles tense and as soon as she had, felt a pair of eyes staring at her. Despite her instincts, Katara took a momentary glance to her right side and saw him staring at her with an inexplicable expression etched onto his face.

'_He must have felt me tense up…'_ she mused, remembering their linked arms.

"Prince Zuko," Fire Lord Ozai began. Both teenagers redirected their gaze away from each other and to the powerful man in front of them. Ozai smirked back and Katara felt chills travel up her spine in all the wrong ways. "This is a grand celebration of your birth…your rather fortunate birth." Ozai looked as though he wanted to say more but restrained himself in order to save face. Katara narrowed her eyes glared at him suspiciously. "Hmph. As an added surprise, I thought to showcase exactly just how special your gift is."

"'Showcase'?" Zuko repeated. He furrowed his eyebrows together in confusion. "Father, I don't understand."

Azula rolled her eyes and stepped forward, placing a hand on her older brother's shoulder. "Oh honestly, Zu-Zu. It's a surprise. Don't ruin it. Just let Father carry out his plans and you'll see. Don't be such an idiot about it." She laughed lightly so that the other guests would think of it as lighthearted sibling teasing but Zuko and Katara both knew that her words held a heavier meaning.

Katara stared at her wide-eyed. _'What kind of family is this? And 'plans'…. I really need to stop playing mistress and get to work!'_

She looked at the handsome prince at her side with pity and sympathy in her cerulean eyes. Katara turned her gaze towards the guest and looked at their faces, only able to find one other that seemed to feel compassion for the unknowing prince as well— an old, short, plump man with grey hair, sideburns, and beard. His wrinkled brow gained more lines when he frowned at the Fire Lord and Princess. The old man turned his weathered ocher eyes to hers and he raised a bushy eyebrow curiously. Katara blushed and averted her gaze turning back to Fire Lord Ozai.

"She's right, Prince Zuko. You should listen to your sister more often. After all, she is the cleverer one of out the two of you."

"I can't believe this!" Katara hissed under her breath.

"You girl! Go and prepare. You were given instructions. Prove my money's worth and follow them like a good servant." He gestured to the harem of women that obediently stood and left the room and the Fire Lord sat back on his throne calmly, sipping a cup of tea as he did so.

Katara gave a shallow bow and connected her fist to her palm briefly before untangling her arm from Prince Zuko's and doing the same to him. Somewhat stunned, he gave a short, gentlemanly bow and allowed her to leave the ballroom. As she left, Zuko roughly shrugged Azula's hand off of his shoulder and stalked off towards Mai, who was sulking next to Ty Lee, who happened to be chatting away happily with some Fire Nation son of some random noblemen. Zuko resisted the urge to run his hands through his hair as it was slicked back into the top knot. He placed his hand on the small of Mai's back and lightly kissed her cheek, eliciting a soft pink blush to appear on her pale cheeks.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but you look beautiful," Zuko whispered into her ear. In response, Mai shivered slightly to the feel of his warm breath on the shell of her ear.

Ty Lee giggled. "Jeez, Zuko. I didn't know you had it in you." She winked one of her grey eyes playfully and turned the prince's cheeks to a light cherry shade. Ty Lee laughed cheerfully at the older boy's embarrassment. "Oh honestly, Zuko you're seventeen. Don't act like you haven't had se—"

Mai swiftly placed her thin palm over the younger girl's mouth. Ty Lee looked at Mai with wide eyes before they crinkled slightly so that it was recognizable that the acrobat was smiling though her mouth was covered. Mai wrinkled her delicate nose. "Ty Lee, I swear if you lick or bite me…"

Zuko made a face and warned Ty Lee, "I'd listen. She really hates that."

With a sulky sigh, Mai released Ty Lee's mouth, rubbing her now moist hand on the formal robes she was wearing. "You didn't have to tell everyone…" she muttered.

Making a tsk-ing sound, Ty Lee mockingly wagged a finger in front of Mai's face. "No wonder Fire Lord Ozai had to get Zuko a concubine." She gasped and her grey eyes widened in awe. "Mai, your aura just changed! Wow, that's amazing. Hmmm… instead of that dingy grey, it's a little colored by a red orange color." Placing a finger on her chin, she murmured to herself, "Or is that orange red? Those were always a little hard to tell apart." Shaking her head and waving her confusion away, Ty Lee insisted, "Mai, you're mad!" She laughed joyously. "You're actually angry!"

"Oh honestly, Mai. It's just a little teasing. You know how much Ty Lee loves to tease. Don't you remember when we devised a ploy to have you and Zu-Zu fall into the fountain in our garden?" Azula joined their little circle, immediately demanding their attention. "And get over it. Zuko won't use Ka-what's her name for sex. He'll be too chicken for that."

Zuko's face tightened and contorted into rage before he took a deep breath that smoothed out his features. "I wouldn't use her at all. She just got lucky into getting a place in the palace." He ignored the feeling in his lower stomach when he first saw her and cast the thoughts away as raging teenage hormones, perfectly normal. "So I've got a personal maid. Great."

Raising an eyebrow at her older brother, Azula shrugged it off, not caring much. "I'd still watch over her. Who knows what her plan is? A savage, dirty peasant suddenly finding home in the palace? She'll soon be kicked out or thrown away for stealing anyway. She won't last long."

Ty Lee allowed an uncharacteristic frown to appear on her visage. "Azula, I don't think that that's fair of you to just dismiss her like that. Katara's really nice. I like her!"

The mention of the new girl's name piqued Zuko's interest as his brow lifted minutely. _'Katara… so that's her name. It's not common… but it suits her. What am I talking about? I don't even know her! Who am I decide whether a name suits someone? Well I _am_ going to be Fire Lord someday…can I do that?'_

Mai put her hand on his shoulder and asked, "Zuko. are you okay?"

"Yeah, perfect. Why?"

She took her other hand and slightly rubbed his forehead, her face expressionless. "You were hitting yourself in the head," she deadpanned.

Snorting, Azula ignored them and countered, "Ty Lee, you like everyone. That's the way you are. But that's also why you're weak. If you want power and you want control, you need to make sure people _listen!_ They have to fear you and if everyone likes you, then they won't take you seriously. You need to stop being best friends with the little slut and treat her for what she is— a servant!"

"She's right, Ty Lee."

All three pairs of eyes widened and stared at Mai, with three faces filled with disbelief and shock to match. Ty Lee scoffed. "I'm sorry, Mai. Did you just have an opinion?" She squealed with delight and tightly hugged the bored girl, who allowed a small smile to alight her face and reluctantly hugged Ty Lee back, if not a little stiffly. She released the uncomfortable dark haired girl and stretched her arms in the air, stretching backwards until her hands found ground again and lifted herself onto her elbows, her face in her hands. "This is a real character development for you. Maybe you do love Zuko."

Both members of the couple in question blushed and ogled at the strange contortion their friend seemed to be at ease in. Zuko knit his eyebrows together and commented, "You haven't been able to convince your parents to let you join the circus, have you?"

Pursing her lips into a small pout, Ty Lee shook her head, her legs still unwavering in the air, perfectly in the balance. The petite acrobat grunted softly as she pushed her body off of the support of her elbows and forearms and landed onto her palms before she pushed off again, tucking into herself and rotating backwards effortlessly before she landed softly in front of her friends, her arms crossed indignantly. Zuko stared at her, his mouth agape, not because of her tremendous acrobatic skills but because of the uncomfortable atmosphere his question had caused to come over them. He let out a tiny cry when a hand connected with his arm.

"What, Azula?" he hissed.

"Nice going, idiot." With a roll of her eyes, Azula looked at Ty Lee with what seemed to be a mockery of pity in her cold ocher eyes. "Why let them tell you what to do? Go yourself. Besides, you have six other sisters. I'm sure your parents can find some way to keep themselves busy in your unnoticeable absence."

Fire showed in Ty Lee normally kind grey eyes, but she ignored it. "My aura is a nice happy pink. I won't let it turn to an ugly, angry color… Like Zuko's. No offense." Ignoring the groan the prince made, she pointed excitedly towards the middle of the ballroom. "Hey, look it's Katara with your father's concubines. Hmm… I wonder what they're going to do."

Azula slightly turned towards Mai and murmured disdainfully, "I hope that they're not going to strip or something else equally tasteless. After all, we are the Royal Fire Nation Family. Imagine how that would make us look!"

"Mmm," was the only reply she got from the bored, impassive girl. Mai was glaring figurative daggers through slanted, narrow eyes at the exotic girl dressed in thin, translucent red material in the midst of the older, similarly dressed women. Her hands were tucked into her large bell-shaped sleeves, presumably clutching the very real, very dangerous shuriken knives and the stilettos that she always kept hidden on her person.

Katara bit down on her lower lip nervously until one of the women at her side discreetly slapped her arm, warning her not to ruin the make up they had applied onto her lips, making them a smooth, glossy red in shade. With a sigh, she forced herself to stop chewing outwardly and resorted to chewing in the inside of her cheek, where she couldn't be scolded for ruining her, she inwardly scoffed, _make up_. Nevertheless, she did feel a little pretty when Ty Lee shoved her in front of a mirror earlier that night, after helping her get ready when Mai and Azula had left them. Katara cast her blue eyes into the crowd nervously, not believing what Fire Lord Ozai's concubines expected her to do. And dressed the way she was!

Azula was still slightly irritated by the obvious rebuff Mai had given her and narrowed her eyes in a glare. Sniffing arrogantly, she commented offhandedly, "Don't worry, Mai. Even though her status will rise due to her being Zuko's concubine, the good news is that once you.. I mean, _if_ you marry Zuko, she'd be your personal servant." She smiled coldly when Mai turned to her and nodded in acknowledgement before she turned her attention back to the group of whores in the center of the ballroom, her upper lip slightly curling in disgust. With a sigh, she left. "Mai, Ty Lee. Let's go get some food. This is boring."

"Aw, but I really wanted to see Katara—"

"Ty Lee!"

Taken aback, Ty Lee smiled. "You're right, Azula. You're always right," she amended before following the two older girls. She looked behind her at Zuko who stared at her and Mai as if they had grown two heads and mouthed her apology before she followed Azula.

Zuko groaned and smacked his palm to his forehead again. He heard a deep, rumbling chuckle behind him and turned to see his Uncle Iroh standing with a large plate of noodles with roasted Komodo chicken on top, along with, of course, a cup of Ginseng tea, his favorite. Taking a deep breath, Iroh nodded his head slowly and stoically. "She is beautiful. You are lucky to have such a … _generous_ and hmmm… _thoughtful_ father, Prince Zuko. Not many young men would receive a…" He let the sentence trail off and covered it up with jolly laughter.

'_Well not many young men have such a megalomaniac, sex-crazed, power hungry, heartless, asshole of a father, who thinks it's a good idea to give his son a personal sex toy,'_ he thought as he laughed.

He nodded appreciatively towards Katara. "With such a beautiful young woman in your company, you really shouldn't be smacking yourself in the head. Have some tea with me."

"No, it's okay, Uncle."

"But Prince Zuko—"

"No, really, Uncle. I'm fine. It's just that Azula, and her friends are taking a bit of a toll on me and my health." Zuko eyed Iroh's plate furtively. "You're hungry tonight." He snorted and continued, a rare smile curving his lips, "But then again, it takes a lot to feed the Dragon of the West, doesn't it?"

"Was that a joke, Prince Zuko?" Iroh erupted with laughter and clapped Zuko on the back, allowing a small pink blush and humble smile to appear on his boyish face. "I got it for you, Prince Zuko. You'll need to keep up your strength and stamina." He raised his eyebrows pointedly at the young prince and glanced to Katara, adding a nod of the head. He urged him to take the tea whispering, "This is a _very_ special kind of tea. Said to help with the acts of—"

"Uncle! I think I'd rather take the food." Zuko hastily took the noodles from the old man and flat out refused the tea and sighed when the old general chuckled as he walked away, whistling a tune. Zuko assumed that it was to further annoy and embarrass him and so he bit into the tough, chewy meat, sulking.

Katara's slender fingers fidgeted with the fabric, trying to pull it down. Her eyes met the prince's, who was currently rather piqued as he swallowed a bite of meat. Noticing her gaze on him, Zuko tried to swallow hastily and coughed violently, choking. Her gaze became worried and for some strange reason, he was happy about it, grateful actually. He turned away and disappeared into the crowd, hoping to find a drink that his uncle didn't spike with some goddamn aphrodisiac. Katara frowned and looked at the women around her disparagingly. For their "performance" they were merely to recite poetry that declared Fire Lord Ozai's greatness. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Then what was the point of dressing up? Katara screwed her eyes shut, fuming with anger.

'_Oh these vain women and ughh! Absolutely no sense of justice in them. I don't understand how they couldn't hate themselves… sleeping with the man who has caused injury and death to thousands…maybe even millions. And the way that he treats his son! Then again, these… bitches are too selfish in hoping that one of their children could usurp the throne.'_

Several men and women cried out when they spilled hot tea onto themselves and Katara opened her eyes to see Fire Lord Ozai standing up on his dais. In the back of the room, her vision could see Azula smirking cruelly as if she knew something that no one else did. With a deep breath, Katara controlled her anger, her overwhelming emotion being the cause of the liquids' movements. She watched carefully as Ozai glared slowly through the crowd. When he called Azula over, her heart dropped and sank in her stomach.

"Spirits… no."

She searched the crowd desperately, hoping that maybe Sokka could possibly be there to help her. Katara huffed and felt her heart sink a little more. She had just arrived in the Fire Nation two weeks ago. And even if Sokka had made his way over from the Earth Kingdom, there was no way he'd have time to secure a job in the goddamn palace! Her eyes rested on a pair of amber orbs staring straight back at her and she tensed up, fearing that these eyes knew her secret. They turned away from her and Katara let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"Brother!"

Everyone turned to see the old, fat man known as the Dragon of the West step out of the crowd and bow before his younger brother. He conveniently, whether it was intentionally or not, moved Azula out of the way from her father's line of sight before they could converse, and no doubt conspire with paranoia about hidden Waterbenders in the palace walls. Iroh straightened himself with a small grunt and began amiably, "Young brother, we have been waiting to see what these beautiful women have prepared for us. Please, let them begin and let us, your humble guests, enjoy what you have ordered from them." Iroh lifted a bushy, grey eyebrow, pausing to see his brother's reaction.

Grudgingly, Ozai agreed, if only to maintain a good image of himself in front of the Fire Nation's most powerful and influential nobles and military officers, aside from the royal family, that is. He glared dangerously at who seemed to be the oldest women, Katara thought.

'_Must be his head concubine…'_ She blushed at the unintentional innuendo and sought to revise her words, even if they were unheard thoughts in her mind. _'Er… the first concubine. His main one… yeah. There we go, Katara.'_

Immediately, the women stood in a circle formation and began rotating, each of them twirling independently as they did so. Katara's eyes expanded in disbelief as she hurried to follow them, starting to feel dizzy as she both moved in her own spiral and in a circle with the other woman. As she circumvented around the grand ballroom, she caught sight of Azula, laughing with mirth with Ty Lee and Mai at her sides and glared darkly at the Fire Princess.

_Ty Lee was trying to force Katara into the large tub in the spa, huffing when Katara refused to go in. Giving up, the older girl placed her hands on her hip and blew air up, her bangs flying in the slight breeze. "Katara, we're both girls. You don't have to be so shy." She waved her hands around, gesturing that they were alone and then pointed towards the water-filled tub next to them, the surface of the water bubbling from the heat._

_Katara looked at her nervously and took a deep breath. As she inhaled, the refreshing and floral scents of lavender and freesia overwhelmed her nostrils and she could detect a spicier, more exotic scent. At least, it was exotic to _her_. She smiled softly. It was cinnamon and ginger root. "Really, Ty Lee. I can bathe myself. I've been doing it for the past fifteen years."_

_They jumped when the door to the spa slammed open and the Fire Nation Princess strode in, out of the robe she was wearing earlier and wearing long, formal dress robes. She had an expressionless look on her face as she quickly observed and looked over them. "Ty Lee, you can go and get ready. Lo and Li told me to tell Katara something about tonight." The princess passed them and leaned on the edge of the stone basin, crossing her arms in front of her. When Ty Lee didn't move, Azula's facial expression became more severe. "I'm sorry, Ty Lee, did I stutter? Was I just imagining myself giving you an order?"_

"_No, Azula. I—"_

"_Then go!"_

"_You're right. I'm going to be late." Never affected by Azula, Ty Lee strode off happily, and gave a friendly smile to Katara as she passed the nervous girl. Katara was inwardly astounded at how she could just listen to Azula like that but shrugged it off, knowing that they had grown up together and so she had just gotten used to it. She felt a small amount of pity for the naturally happy girl._

_Katara looked back to the Fire Nation Princess, who seemed to be observing her, her eyes cold and calculating. She smiled at Katara but it was malicious and Katara refused the urge to stagger back. Keeping a cool façade, she asked, "What is it you needed to tell me, Princess?" Despite the otherwise calm delivery of her words, both girls picked up the lack of respect in her tone._

"_I don't _need_ to tell you anything. Father has plans tonight for little Zu-Zu's birthday celebration." She raised her eyebrows and turned her attention to her long, claw like, manicured nails. Pouting she murmured, "Incompetent… can't even do my nails right." Her fingers played on the surface of the water behind her and Katara wanted nothing more than to push the girl in, though she didn't know exactly why. The princess didn't scare her… she just Katara chalked it up to her merely being Fire Nation aristocracy. "Anyway, Fire Lord Ozai orders you to join his other mistresses tonight. They're doing a—" Azula narrowed her ocher eyes at Katara and smiled sweetly. Too sweetly. "It's a chance to boost Fire Nation morale," she intoned. "So you're all going to recite the Fire Nation creed to raise unified nationalism and then you're going to make up your own silly little haiku praising Fire Lord Ozai to recite to the guests."_

"_That's all?" Katara's tone was guarded and Azula immediately picked up on it. Katara kept her hands fisted at her sides, her elbows crazy glued to her waist. "I'd be happy to learn it. Seems easy enough." She noticed that the thick steam swirling around the room from the stone basin became thicker and the air harder to breathe as moisture took over. The stone basin became bubbling as if it were boiling._

_Coldly, Azula retorted, "Oh, it is. I mean, it's not like you have to learn the traditional cultural dance of the Fire Nation that only the elite learn from birth." Azula snorted softly. "Have fun, Kayra." She turned and left the spa without another glance back at her._

_Katara could feel the sweat beading on her forehead and breathed deep breaths, her lungs uncomfortable in the humid, balmy atmosphere. Double checking to make sure that Azula had left and that there was no one else around, Katara did what she usually did when the bath water in the South Pole was too hot. First, she tentatively placed the tip of her index finger in the water of the stone basin and hissed, immediately pulling it out. The water was more than boiling._

"_Damn Azula…" she cursed._

_Swirling her arms above her head, Katara was able to gather all of the steam in the room into a cloud above her head and she compressed it as much as she could and held her arms straight up, holding the hot mist above the basin before she blew on the air, condensing it into cold water so that it mixed with the boiling liquid within the tub. The temperatures mixed, allowing steam to escape into the air again, but at a much more tolerant level and when Katara dipped her hand into the water it was a comfortable warm this time. She sighed and undressed, sliding into the water and swirling it around her with simple rotations of her wrist._

"_Learning the creed and reciting the poem. Should be easy…"_

Katara swirled one more time with the other women, trying to figure out the dance but when they broke out of the rotating circles in the center, moving forwards as if spokes of a wheel, Katara was left alone in the center. Vaguely, she heard cruel laughing and their taunting fueling her resolve, resorted to doing what she had done as the only Waterbender in the South Pole, as the only female Waterbender in the North Pole, as the first female Waterbending student of Master Pakku, and his favorite to boot. Katara resorted to standing out, a feat not hard to do merely by being there, with russet, tan skin and almond shaped arctic blue eyes. Feeling the pull of the liquid of the teas, the soups, the sweat in the room in the hot temperature, Katara began to move, swirling and turning as she had earlier but in Waterbending moves, without actually employing the abilities given to her by Tui and La. In contrast to the stiff, quick movements of the other women, movements that mirrored the Fire Nation fighting style employed in Firebending, Katara listened to the flow and rhythm of the tsungi horn, quickly learned it and adapted her body to move accordingly. She felt the contraction and relaxation of her muscles as she moved slowly and elegantly, reflecting the push and pull she often felt, and swayed her hips as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, turning slowly and positioning her arms around her.

When the beat and tempo started to quicken, Katara wasted no time in following it, and she felt the music pull her body to and fro and accelerated her movements, adding in a series including an aerial cartwheel and flips and pirouettes. As the music began to end, starting its final crescendo, Katara stretched backwards, her hands on the floor, before swing her legs as one leg pushed off, bringing the other with it in its momentum and she stood as both of her feet touched the floor, the music ending.

Azula was silently fuming in the back, though the only indication was that the torches around the room had suddenly grown as her exterior revealed nothing. Ty Lee clapped happily, along with the rest of the crowd, and Mai was seething at the olive-skinned girl in the center of the room. Her narrowed eyes found Zuko's and her eyebrows knit together while her jaw clenched. Azula immediately took notice, nudging Ty Lee in the side, stage whispering, "Doesn't Zuko look infatuated by Katara?"

Ty Lee nodded, but looked worriedly at the dark haired girl next to them, clearly within earshot. "Azula, I don't know. I mean, I think we're all pretty impressed by Katara," she tried, trying to pacify the situation.

"But doesn't Zuko seem _particularly_ impressed," Azula maintained, insisting on continuing the subject matter.

"Whatever," Mai finally said. "It doesn't matter to me. I'm used to this. After all, your father's generals keep on pushing their teenage daughters onto him. This is no different," she deadpanned.

"But isn't it, Mai?" Azula shrugged innocently. "Those girls were being pushed onto him…as is Katara. But for once, Zuko doesn't seem to mind so much." She smiled cruelly before turning back to Ty Lee.

The current object of Mai's abhorrence stood frozen in the center of women, nervously twirling a lock of wavy, chocolate brown hair behind her back. Fire Lord Ozai took a glance at her and ordered the women to leave. "Go, you're not needed any longer."

They left the room after bowing respectfully, two women taking Katara's arms and leading her out. Once outside, they took her into the courtyard and Katara immediately felt relief at the cool breeze that blew past them and the faint, pale moonlight shining down on them. While the younger looking girls left, Katara noticed that the chief concubine stayed behind, raising her eyebrows skeptically at her. "Dear, how old are you?"

"Fifteen, ma'am."

The woman's features fell and she sighed. "I honestly don't know what that monster is thinking. Prince Zuko is a nice, gentle boy. He's nothing like his father or that wretched girl." She took Katara's chin in her hands, careful not to scratch her with her long nails, and examined her face. "You're far too young for this but it seems that it's already out of your hands. Be thankful that Zuko is your master."

Katara's eyes hardened and she assertively removed her face from the woman's touch. "No one is my master," she declared.

Smiling sadly, the older woman observed, "A strong spirit… Hopefully, your time here will not break it. Now, we stay in these quarters," she motioned to the hall of rooms on the opposite side of the courtyard. "Fire Lord Ozai's chambers are nearby. I assume that your quarters would be close to Prince Zuko's… his room is near the garden. The garden was his mother's, you know. I'm sure you'll be allowed to use it at your leisure."

"What happened to his mother?" Katara couldn't help but wonder and her fingers unconsciously gravitated towards the hollow of the throat, but dropped to her side once they did not feel the smooth, cool surface of the pendant that was usually nestled around her neck.

"No one knows. Despite my service and what in entailed, Princess Ursa was still marvelously kind to me. I am sorry that she is gone. I have to go and you should hurry to Zuko's room before the guards start getting paranoid. They usually are. The ball is ending… Prince Zuko will be there soon." Without another sound, the woman crossed the courtyard and disappeared in the shadows of the palace, disappearing into the hall of rooms meant specifically for woman of her kind.

Katara sighed, "Damn. I could go and start sneaking around, but what for? All the military generals are drinking their asses off, having a party. It would be useless to try anything tonight. But… when I do try, she said that the guards are paranoid. The whole point of sending me here was that they wouldn't believe a girl like me would be up to trouble!" She stormed out of the courtyard and back into the labyrinth of the palace, turning corridors until she was certain she was lost. "Where's the garden?" she groaned. She sighed and lifted her face to the ceiling, slumping down against the wall.

Inside the ballroom, Zuko and Mai were currently at each other's throats, hissing angrily at the other. "I have no idea what the fuck you're talking about, Mai!" Zuko retorted. "You're my girlfriend. What reason would I have for using Katara?" He groaned. "Mai, you're the one saying that I'm overly angry and jealous. Look at how you're acting!"

"I'm not jealous," she persisted. "Shut up, Ty Lee," she ordered, not taking a singular look at the petite girl next to them, mouth opened in obvious denial of Mai's affirmation. "And don't tell me that my aura's changing colors. You know I don't believe in them," she huffed.

"Mai, I don't know what you want from me," Zuko tried.

"Just forget it. I'm tired of this." Mai crossed her arms stubbornly and watched through emotionless eyes as Zuko let out a cry of frustration, marching out of the room. She sent a heated glare towards Azula who was leaning against one of the room's pillars, a gloating smirk on her face and scoffed. Mai rolled her eyes and made her way to her parents, begging, "Can I _please_ go? I'm bored."

Ty Lee grabbed her arm and pulled her away. "Mai! Come on; don't let Zuko get to you. It's just a little argument."

"Whatever," she sighed. Her amber eyes stared at the doors Zuko stormed through, somewhat longingly "He's so stupid!" she grumbled.

The young man in question stormed through the empty palace hallways, greatly agitated and turned the corridor that held his bedroom except that once he turned the corner, he let out a cry of surprise when he found himself being launched towards the rich, crimson palace floor. He put his arms out in front of him, landing onto his palms softly before he grunted, pushing off of the ground and flipping over, tucking into a roll when he landed. Zuko stood and was suddenly ambushed by a provocatively dressed girl with startling oceanic eyes. The girl was fawning over him with concern, patting him down.

"Are you okay? I'm so sorry! How stupid of me… I shouldn't have just been sitting on the floor like that." Katara looked up and saw Zuko staring at her curiously, obviously wondering how stupid she had to be. Her cheeks matched the clothes they both wore and she immediately hung her head. "Prince Zuko! I'm sorry."

Zuko sighed. "It's fine. Just don't do that… I guess. And you can let go of me."

"Huh? Oh! Sorry," she mumbled.

"You can stop apologizing, too," Zuko replied, with the hint of sarcasm and annoyance in his voice.

Katara picked up on this and her face scrunched up into a scowl. She immediately let go of his arm placing her hands on her hips. Zuko's eyes had followed her movements and he gulped when he stared at the hourglass shape of her figure, his eyes trailing down the curvature of her waist to where it indented and filled out over her hips. "Look, I was just trying to apologize and you didn't have to act like such an asshole about it!" Her arms moved around her as she talked, waving wildly above her head. "I was just trying to be considerate and acknowledge the fact that it was my own fault. But you!" She pointed a small finger at him and Zuko nearly went cross-eyed trying to stare at it because she pointed it so close to his face. "You have to act like such a jerk when I'm trying to be civilized!"

"I'm sorry."

"And you… what?" Katara dropped her arms, her eyebrows knit together in confusion when he apologized.

"I didn't mean to be such a jerk. I'm just not in the best of moods right now," he tried lamely.

Katara didn't know how to respond and nodded meekly. Rubbing the side of her neck uncomfortably, she bit down on her lip and looked up at him, to see that he had already started walking away. "Hey!" She jogged up to him, catching his shoulder and turning him around. "I kind of need to know where I'm sleeping tonight."

She continued staring at Zuko, not understanding how her words sounded to him and why his ivory cheeks suddenly turned a rosy pink. "Did you hear me? I need to know where I'm sleepi—" Katara waved her hands frantically in front of her. "That's not how I meant it. Unless, of course, you want to….ahhh but that's only because you're the boss…of me?" She sighed and turned around, walking in the opposite direction. "It's okay. I'll find my own place tonight. How deep is the pond in the garden? I think I'll try and sink myself if I ever find it."

Zuko gawked at her retreating figure incredulously, while trying to simultaneously avoid staring at the swing of her hips and the pendulum that was her soft, brunette waves. He started to turn slowly, deciding that he really needed a good night's rest but he groaned mentally and caught up with her, taking her hand in his. "Hey, I'll show you to your room… but to be honest, I don't think my father will be happy knowing I didn't uh… appreciate his gift."

Glancing at their joined hands, Katara took in his words and started pulling her hand away and he immediately let go. "Uh…" Her voice trailed off again when her mind traitorously registered how well their two hands fit together.

"Don't worry. I'm not interested in that."

"Still, I don't want to—"

Zuko took hold of both her wrists, her hands turning into fists as she tried to take back her hands. "No, I insist." He ignored her complaining and protests as he practically dragged her along the hallway, opening one of the double doors of his bedroom, pushing the both of them into his dark.

Despite not liking the fact that he was basically kidnapping her, ignoring that fact that he kind of owned her, Katara moved in closer to the prince's body when he plunged them into the dark. "Zuko…"

Shaking his head disbelievingly, he corrected, "Prince Zuko. And don't worry." His arm shot out and Katara saw brief flashes of orange light before the entire room glowed with light, the sconces lit by Zuko's Firebending. He moved away from her and pulled a cloak from an armoire in the corner of the room. "Here," he tossed the thick fabric to her and she wrapped it around her exposed body gratefully. "I thought you'd be cold."

"Hold on a minute." Katara eyed him suspiciously and nearly lost her train of thought when he turned towards her, meeting her eyes, and she was momentarily stunned. She looked away and started taking notice of the room. It wasn't extravagant or ostentatious at all, not what you'd expect from a prince, and a supposedly spoiled one at that. There was a large bed that she looked over in a single glance, the armoire, a desk with several papers on it. Nothing else. There was a small window that Katara could see had a view of the garden. She looked back at his scowling face and mirrored the look. "I… I don't think that I'm ready for this. It's not like I've..."

"I already told you. I don't want to have sex with you!" Zuko ran a hand through his glossy dark hair, allowing it to come out of the tight top knot he had put it in earlier. The shaggy hair lightly fell over the tips of his eyelashes.

"And why not?" Katara demanded.

"Are you fucking kidding me? You were just telling me that you didn't want to either!"

"But that's different."

"Enlighten me," he snorted back.

"You're… impossible! I can't believe I have to _serve_ you!" Katara's mouth pulled into a sneer as she spoke. "What happened to my life?" she whispered, more to herself than to him. She hugged one arm around herself and cradled her other elbow in it so that she could pinch the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry."

"_Now_ why are you apologizing?"

Katara shrugged. "It's your birthday… it's wrong of me to be yelling at you like this. I shouldn't be."

Squinting his eyes in thoughtfulness, Zuko shook his head. "Don't apologize because I know that it's my fault… or at least my father's. That's what happened to your life. Here." Zuko handed her her pack and Katara took it gratefully. "I guess they just dropped it in my room. I really would take you to your room except it's better if my father doesn't know that I don't plan to… have sex with you. No offense," he quickly defended himself but Katara waved the notion away.

"What do you mean it's your father's fault?" She sat down languidly against the foot of the bed and she looked up at him expectantly. Katara smiled smugly when he moaned in exasperation and sat down next to her in a manner that made it seem as if he were being forced to chew off of his arm. "Gee, thanks for making me feel wanted," she intoned.

"Look, I don't know your story, but I'm guessing that your life is ruined by the Fire Nation some way or another." He smirked at her looked of shock and shrugged. "I love my country, but what my father's done… it's not like the rest of the kids for me and Azula. The two of us know exactly what's happening and that everything they're teaching is school is nothing but full blown propaganda, aka bullshit. Still, he's doing what he thinks is right… and sacrifices have to be made."

"It's not right."

Nodding his head in agreement, Zuko saw eye to eye with her, adding, "He sacrifices citizens of the Fire Nation who love their country so much that they're unwillingly being offered for slaughter." He snickered grimly. "But that's how my father and my grandfather and my great-grandfather operate. It's how Azula thinks, too."

"And what about you?"

"If that's what it takes for me to become a great Fire Lord and a son worthy of my father."

Katara shook her head forcefully. "The Fire Nation took my mother away from me!" Once more, her hand instinctively moved to the hollow of her throat but she lowered it again. "I was only three (Yeah, I know she's actually like eight, but bear with me. She looked way too tiny to be eight.) when they raided our village."

"Raided?" Zuko narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Katara mentally smacked herself. She nodded. "They took the men, started burning the village down and put flags with the Fire Nation insignia everywhere. We became a new colony." Tears stung Katara's eyes and she blushed, feeling embarrassed.

Zuko internally panicked. He didn't exactly know what to do when a girl became overwhelmed with emotions. _Mai_ was his girlfriend, for goodness' sake! There wasn't exactly any need for him to become acquainted with girly emotions. He fumbled in the dim light and sighed, thrusting his forearm in front of her face. "Here."

"No, it's okay." Katara took the transparent, red silk that barely qualified as clothes around her upper thighs and ripped a small piece off. She took the cloth to her cheeks, wiping away the saltwater. "My father's been fighting in the war and I decided to leave and came here. Then the only way I could have a place to stay was if I waitressed at that horrible brothel."

"But now you're living in the Fire Nation Royal Palace!" Zuko exclaimed sarcastically. Rolling his eyes, he sucked in a breath, exhaling it out shakily. "And in Prince Zuko's room. What more could you want?" He chuckled huskily, but without humor. "You've hit the jackpot… Katara."

"Hm…" Katara smiled faintly when he hesitantly said her name. "That's strange."

"What is?" he snapped back.

"I haven't heard my name in a while. For the past couple of weeks it's been an interesting mixture of 'you', 'girl,' 'slut', 'waitress', 'whore', 'peasant'… most of them employed by your dear sister today," her tone was thick with disdain. "But thank you for saying my name… Ty Lee has been nice to me as well. She's offered to teach me chi blocking, whatever that is."

"It's a skill that she developed from Agni knows where…it can't have been from the Royal Fire Academy for Girls… Azula hasn't taken advantage of it. Ty Lee has extensive knowledge of the chi paths that flow through the body. Basically, she uses this knowledge and hits pressure points around the body that stop the flow of chi, temporarily at least. It takes away bending or paralyzes you— sometimes both." Pausing for a moment, Zuko reflected, "I suppose if she really wanted to, she could kill using chi blocking."

Katara gulped nervously. She took a breath of relief knowing that Ty Lee liked her, though the girl didn't even know she could Waterbend. "She seems dangerous," she voiced truthfully. To be honest, Katara feared the acrobat more than she did Azula or Mai, even when she pissed the two girls off.

Zuko nodded stoically, the conversation not catching his interest. What did interest him however… "When exactly did Fire Lord Ozai…"

"Buy me?" Katara supplied. "I was in the middle of the evening shift at the brothel when two Fire Nation soldiers came in and the owner started showing me off." In a dramatic timbre, she added, "Enter your father!" Katara wriggled her fingers in mock spirit fingers and snorted. Raising a dark eyebrow, she added, "Not that I disrespect him or anything." Katara peered at him slyly out of the corner of her eyes and appreciatively observed his stoic expression that exuded strength and confidence mixed with thought and contemplation. Part of her was insulted that he was ignoring her but the other part was entranced. The juxtaposition of the chiseled shape of his jaw line and soft curvature of his pale pink lip attracted her and she unconsciously leaned in towards him, noticing that the room was darkening as she did so. When the room went entirely pitch black, except for the pale white moonlight coming in from Zuko's window, Katara widened her eyes and immediately backed away, not sure of what she was doing. She bit her lip nervously and looked back to him, noticing that he was asleep and he scowled even as he slept, causing a frown to mar her own features.

"What do I do?" she groaned. "I can't leave him on the floor… this is his room. But I don't want to wake him up, either. Something tells me that he'll be _very_ pissed off." With a heavy sigh, she decided that maybe, despite the fact that she probably wouldn't find anything useful, she should try and sneak around at least, to get some bearings on this goddamn labyrinth they called a palace. Quietly, Katara pulled herself to her feet and padded across the rug that led a path straight from the foot of Zuko's bed to the doorway, grateful that her footsteps would be muffled. Katara turned the door knob slowly and pulled it open, allowing a thin stream of light to come in from the hallway and jerked when she felt a warm hand on her bare shoulder.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Zuko demanded.

"I—you—uh— You were sleeping!" Katara responded indignantly. "What was I supposed to do?"

"You could have used my bed. I don't mind sleeping on the floor." His eyes narrowed suspiciously at her and Katara was held captive by his molten gold stare. Zuko's face was impassive as he asked slowly, "What were you really doing?"

"I told you. I was going to look for my own place to sleep." Katara replied dangerously. She resorted glaring at his nose, unable to look him in the eye. "I didn't want to wake you up and I was right because you're a cranky, rude, spoiled, jerk!" She huffed and turned around, leaving until she yelped when Zuko pulled her back again.

He ran his hands through his unruly black hair and cried out in frustration. "Didn't I already explain to you that if it doesn't look like we're sleeping together, my father will get very, very, inhumanly angry?" Zuko roared at her.

Katara stomped her foot, her hands fisted at her sides. "I don't care if the bastard threatens to kill me! It's not proper for a young woman to sleep with a boy that isn't her husband and spirits help me if I go back on the traditions I was raised with! It's the last piece of home I have while I'm here, living in this hell!"

A smirk appeared on Zuko's face and Katara shivered. It wasn't as cruel as the ones on Ozai or Azula but it didn't seem to be playful. "'Spirits'? Traditions of virginity? You're not a Fire Nation girl at all, are you?"

"Are you stupid? I told you I came from a colony!" Katara struggled not to waver under his penetrating gaze and pursed her lips to avoid biting down on her lower lip, a sure sign that she was lying. Katara internally reprimanded herself for making such a stupid reveal about herself. "Let me go to my room!"

The smirk disappeared from his face and Zuko's face was grave as he repeated, "No. Trust me, I'm not just trying to please my father right now. I don't want the guilt of your fate to hang on my shoulders," he warned. In a small, tender voice, he whispered, "I'm really not going to do anything. Just use the bed, I'll sleep on the floor." Zuko waved a hand towards the large, more than accommodating, four poster bed with a canopy engraved with golden dragons.

"It doesn't seem fair."

"My father wiped out your family and forced you to be my servant. I'm offering you a bed. It _isn't _fucking fair," he pointed out.

"You're a lot different than your father and sister," Katara blurted out. She blushed and excused herself, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to speak out of turn."

Zuko flinched. "Don't apologize for saying what you think is right…and I guess I take after my mother. The two of us were kind of the scapegoats of the royal family, so to speak. We weren't as gifted I suppose or as motivated. Maybe we just weren't motivated the way my father wanted us to be. He and Azula… they want power. They expect me to expect the same things."

Knitting her eyebrows together, Katara shook her head. "You're a different person. Your mother's blood seems to be a good influence on you. If you don't mind my asking, what happened?"

His amber eyes widening, Zuko turned away from Katara's penetrating gaze. "I don't know," he whispered. "She disappeared years ago… I think that she's probably gone."

"I'm so—"

"If you apologize one more time…" Zuko started. "You've done nothing to be sorry for. I don't need your pity or compassion. I'm perfectly capable of handling my own fucking emotions!" Zuko stormed away from her raised hand, avoiding her touch and stared out at his mother's garden. "I've learned to trust myself, depend on myself, and I've become _strong_ because of it. It's because of myself that I am the way that I am, no one else. Not even my mother. I wouldn't change for anything…"

"Zuko… Prince Zuko…"

"Katara, can you please just shut up and go to sleep?"

His words were harsh but his tone wasn't a direct command, it was a request. A strongly advisable request, but still a request. Katara couldn't find it in herself to deny him and nodded, awkwardly moving past him and climbing into the luxuriously soft scarlet bedding, pulling the silk covers over her body. She allowed her head to fall on her pillows but as her eyelids began to drift downwards, she leapt out of bed, again and Zuko exhaled forcefully in vexation. Katara scowled in response but stood in front of him, unclasping the thick cloak that covered her body he leant her. Zuko's cheeks flushed and he motioned to turn around, but Katara turned him back, placing the warm cloth in his arms. He understood and nodded stiffly, letting her go back into the bed and pull the covers over herself, her cerulean eyes disappearing from the view the moonlight gave him.

While the young girl seemed to be cold, Zuko thought that his skin felt overheated. He breathed deeply, trying to cool down his temperature, leaning out over the window, trying to absorb the cool night breeze. He put the cloak back in his armoire and removed the heavy dress robes he wore that night, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that Katara was looking in the opposite direction, his paranoia coming over him. Scoffing at such paranoia, Zuko continued to undress and opted to stay shirtless and just wear a pair of pants that he used for training, being as they were made of light fabric. The Fire Nation Prince looked at the foot of the bed where he would sleep that night and made a slight face. Looking back towards his bed, he reasoned that it was more than large enough to fit the both of them, hell he could probably fit Uncle Iroh in there somehow. He could easily keep away from disturbing her and letting her know that he even slept in the same bed with her.

Making his way to the opposite side of the bed from her, Zuko pushed the covers away, so that if she pulled, the resistance caused by his weight wouldn't alert her. Besides, he was feeling far too warm to even consider using the blankets. He climbed onto the firm mattress, immediately relaxing and folded his arms under his head, staring up at the canopy that rested above his and Katara's head and took a momentary glimpse at the sleeping girl next to him. Frowning, he noticed that she was curled up into a tight ball and was clutching the coverlet. Trying not to jostle the bed as he moved, Zuko groaned as a chivalrous part of him denied him the ability to sleep unless he took out the cloak again, gently covering Katara with the heavy fabric. Returning to his side of the bed, he forced his eyes closed and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The sunlight peeked over the horizon, and nearly simultaneously, all of the Firebenders all over the world woke up, feeling the sun's movements and its warmth, taking them out of slumber. Zuko groaned and his eyes fluttered open, glaring at the golden light pouring into his room from the window. He furrowed his eyebrows together when he realized that the usually golden light was tinted by a red screen. As his vision focused, Zuko realized that the thin transparent fabric that he hadn't pulled down last night surrounded his four poster bed in a scarlet haze, he cursed.

"Damn it," he murmured, "The maid must have already come in. As he spoke, he saw that his desk was neat and orderly instead of littered with papers. And where the papers were previously situated, a tray with breakfast was placed. It held enough food for two.

Smacking his right palm into his forehead, Zuko pulled the net away from the bed, noticing that Katara was still asleep.

"Must either be tired or a naturally late sleeper." Deciding that the previous day's events must have been tolling on her physical and emotional state, he gave her the benefit of the doubt.

A knock on the door brought him out of his train of thought and he heard a soft moan as Katara woke up from the noise. She looked up at him with hazy eyes and while they focused, her cheeks turned pink, noticing his shirtless state. Not noticing her blush, Zuko groggily opened his door and nearly shut it again when a teenage boy about his age stood in front of them, something in his hands addressed the prince, glaring at him and staring at the scantily clad girl in the prince's bed.

Katara's eyes widened in panic and she tried smiling sheepishly at him, only garnering her an even deadlier glare. _'Oh Sokka… you big idiot!'_

* * *

**Acknowledgements:**

**purplefirestarter:** Ahhh! Oh my gosh, I love you! I can't believe you're reading _another _one of my stories. Awesomeness. As always, your review was awesome and I loved reading it. Yes, this is an AU story… canon Avatar was ruined for me by the last scene of the series finale -_- Well not entirely ruined, but you get my point. Uhm, Zuko doesn't have his scar and that's all I'm going to say about it for now haha. I think that this story will have similar events to the canon but they'll happen in different orders and under different circumstances…at least that's the direction I'm going in _so far_. Katara is such a challenge for me… I have no idea why but it's just hard for me to grasp her character. Thanks for saying I'm doing good to this point so I'll try and keep doing what I'm doing. And I would sooo read your Zelda story…but I have no idea what the heck Zelda is since the last time I've interacted with Zelda is when I played the old-school Sega video game years ago lol!

**hg-always: **I know, I know, I know! You're the millionth (well not really, more like second) person to say that Mai has to go and she will. This is a Zutara story after all. And thank you with putting up with the AU-ness of it all :) But I really believe that if Zuko was never banished in the first place, due to their seemingly mutual childhood crushes, it would've escalated into a relationship in their teen years which is why I've added it. But she'll be gone. No worries. Oh and Lion King! I was hoping someone would be able to figure it out haha. I was in a very Disney mood when I was writing the last chapter. You know, I think I'll listen to the song right now haha. Kudos for catching that!

**The Summer Breeze:** You were the first person to review saying Mai has to go. She will. You can be sure of that but I do think that people need to stop hating on her a little bit…or a little less, rather. After all, she did save our precious Zu-Zu from Azula on the Boiling Rock, didn't she? That deserves some merit of appreciation.

Hopefully you'll keep reading, which will lead you to review (yes, please), and wonder


	4. The Way In

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs purely to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Chapter 3: The Way In

* * *

**Summary:**

As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty and life, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

_Last Time…_

_The sunlight peeked over the horizon, and nearly simultaneously, all of the Fire benders all over the world woke up, feeling the sun's movements and its warmth, taking them out of slumber. Zuko groaned and his eyes fluttered open, glaring at the golden light pouring into his room from the window. He furrowed his eyebrows together when he realized that the usually golden light was tinted by a red screen. As his vision focused, Zuko realized that the thin transparent fabric that he hadn't pulled down last night surrounded his four poster bed in a scarlet haze and he cursed._

_"Damn it," he murmured, "The maid must have already come in." As he spoke, he saw that his desk was neat and orderly instead of littered with papers. And where the papers were previously situated, a tray with breakfast was placed. It held enough food for two._

_Smacking his right palm into his forehead, Zuko pulled the net away from his side of the bed, noticing that Katara was still asleep._

_"Must either be tired or a naturally late sleeper." Deciding that the previous day's events must have been tolling on her physical and emotional state, he gave her the benefit of the doubt._

_A knock on the door brought him out of his train of thought and he heard a soft moan as Katara woke up from the noise. She looked up at him with hazy eyes and while they focused, her cheeks turned pink, noticing his shirtless state. Not noticing her blush, Zuko groggily opened his door and nearly shut it again when a teenage boy about his age stood in front of them, something in his hands addressed to the prince, glaring at him and staring at the scantily clad girl in the prince's bed._

_Katara's eyes widened in panic and she tried smiling sheepishly at him, only garnering her an even deadlier glare._ 'Oh Sokka… you big idiot!'

* * *

"What do you want?" Zuko asked roughly. His golden eyes narrowed at the flabbergasted boy and stepped closer to him, closing the door and blocking Sokka from Katara's view and vice versa. Impatiently, he snatched the letter from his hands and yelled down his hall, "Guards! Get this peasant out of my sight!"

Katara raised her eyebrows and her mouth fell open wide as she watched two mean faced guards completely dressed in shiny armor lift her brother up and take him away. Her eyes didn't move from the spot, even when Zuko stepped back into the room and shut his bedroom door roughly. The slam of the ornate golden door caused Katara to jump and she instinctively pulled the covers closer to her body.

She nervously brought a thumb nail to her lips and began gnawing on it while she stared at the bedroom door, the canopy of thin red fabric still shielding her. Turning her head towards the window, Katara saw the sunlight begin to climb and strengthen and her attention was back onto Zuko in all of his half naked glory while he stretched and threw the letter onto his desk. His back was still to her and Katara watched, with fascination, how his movements caused the muscles along his back to ripple and undulate smoothly. She blushed and turned her head down, her eyes focused on her hands that were now placed on her lap while she sat against the pillows.

Clearing her throat, Katara saw from the corner of her eyes that she had caught his attention and that now Zuko was staring at her. He straightened up and nodded at her stiffly. His golden eyes took notice of her discomfort and he looked down, as if seeing that he was shirtless for the first time. As the realization dawned on him, he pulled a shirt out from his armoire and hastily threw it on.

Katara was so immersed in avoiding looking at the Fire Nation prince that she hadn't registered the shift of the bed as weight sank down on the other side. Zuko sat down on the edge of the bed and when he saw that she didn't notice, her reached out a hand and hesitatingly left it in the air. He pulled it back and cleared his own throat, causing Katara to snap her head up, her sapphire eyes meeting his. She blushed and noted how he tensed as well.

Zuko tore his eyes away from hers and pointed at the platter of breakfast that the maids had left on his desk. Brusquely, he clarified, "You should eat breakfast. Afterwards, you're free to your own devices, so to speak."

Ignoring the food, despite the protests of her rumbling stomach, Katara asked, "That boy… what are they going to do to him?"

Raising an eyebrow at her, Zuko replied nonchalantly, "Most likely throw him out of the palace."

"What did he do to deserve that kind of treatment?"

"He annoyed me," Zuko answered simply. Katara frowned and exasperatedly, Zuko asked, "What?"

Remembering their conversation from last night, Katara replied softly, "You're a lot closer to being someone your father would be proud of than you think, Prince Zuko."

Katara flinched under his golden eyes as they glowered at her but she kept her eye contact, not being the type to easily back down and take back words that she meant. Scoffing in disgust, Zuko rushed out of the bed and stormed out of his room, once again slamming the door. From the shadows underneath the door, Katara could see and feel the hot flames that she knew he produced out in the hallway before hearing him stomp away. When she heard his footsteps recede completely, she took three deep breaths before deciding to move. She hopped out of the large bed that could have practically fit her entire family and her hands hurried to pull the sheets taut and reposition the pillows neatly before she pulled the comforter over the bed, smoothing the silky red fabric. She sighed and stared at the food and took a bowl of jook from the tray and ate slowly, still concerned about her older brother and his stupidity that almost always got him into trouble.

At the same time, Katara was relieved to know that she wouldn't have to deal with her big brother. He might have known the plan, but then again, it was quite different to see your baby sister dressed like a whore and waking up in another man's bed. _'It's better that he be gotten rid of and that he make a scene elsewhere, where people just think he's a dirt poor lunatic… Not far from the truth.'_

The door opened slowly and Katara jumped, nearly dropping the bowl. A girl presumably around her age with straight dark hair and simple clothes saw her and bowed, excusing herself extensively. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Please excuse me, miss. I didn't mean to intrude on you. I'll come back another time." She hurriedly tried to back out of the door, but Katara stopped her.

"No, no, it's okay. You're welcome to do whatever you need to. If you'd like, you can have some of this food. I don't have that much of an appetite right now." Katara smiled warmly at the servant girl and waved her hands out. "Please, I'm sorry. I'm sure you're not used to having someone still in their bedroom after sunrise. I'll just get out of your way, unless you need any help."

The girl lifted her head and stared at Katara with wide eyes. "Uh… no, thank you. It's my job." Her eyes went to the neatly made bed and she blinked at it. "Prince Zuko doesn't require much clean up, it's usually just his bed…" she murmured. She stared at Katara again with a strange expression. "If that's all, then, I'll leave you and continue my work." The servant then promptly the room with another quick bow.

Katara raised her eyebrows and sighed, staring out at the window. "Way to blend in, Katara." Pursing her lips, she looked at her reflection in the mirror and frowned. "I should have asked her where to get some new clothes. Maybe I could go find the other women and they'll be able to dress me." Looking done once more at her exposed body, she looked back at the bed where she had neatly folded Zuko's thick cloak, which was placed over her when she woke up.

"Maybe I _did_ judge him a little harshly…"

Shaking her head, Katara took the cloak and wrapped it around herself and left the room, staring at the tall, heavily decorated walls and stared around her at the imposing portraits of former Fire Lords and other members of the Fire Nation's Royal Family, all staring down at her with disdain. She shuddered and held the cloak around her more tightly, surprising herself at the comfort the faint scent of bergamot, sandalwood, and ginger provided. Blinking her blue eyes at herself, Katara scoffed and dropped the fabric from her nose and sighed with relief when she managed to find an entrance into the courtyard she remembered the older woman leaving.

Stepping into the courtyard, Katara was surprised by the sudden heat that came with stepping out of the palace walls and its cool shadows.

'_No wonder all of the nobility are all so pale… they don't go out.'_

Quickly, Katara hurried across the exposed area and began to feel the heat and weight of the cloak wrapped around her. Once more, she escaped into the cool heat of the palace walls and into the hall, she recollected, was meant specifically for Fire Lord Ozai's concubines. She saw several women walking the halls and nodded to them when they greeted her, acknowledging her to be one of them. As they walked past, Katara turned around and held a hand out to get their attention when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Whirling around, Katara saw the chief concubine from the previous night.

"You want to get out of that gaudy outfit, don't you?" she guessed.

With a small smile, Katara nodded. "Please."

The older woman beckoned her to follow her down the hall and Katara did so, walking next to her awkwardly while the older woman strode down the hall, at ease. "I am Asha, by the way. I was actually on my way to find you." She looked down at Katara with her amber eyes creased in speculation. "You didn't, did you?"

"No. Prince Zuko was…" Katara struggled to find the right words to describe her encounter with the Fire Nation Prince. "He was gracious to me, to say the least."

"A trait he inherited from his mother," Asha whispered softly. Katara saw that she led her to what seemed to be Asha's room. Opening the door, Asha let Katara in and Katara's eyes widened at the ostentatious room, full of gold plating and with bedding made of the finest and softest silk. Asha went to a drawer and pulled out several outfits and Katara saw that they were simple red dresses and robes. Some were pants and tops, as well.

"This isn't much…"

Taking the clothes from her, Katara looked up and replied, "It's enough for me."

Asha looked at Katara with sadness in her eyes again. She gently took Katara's chin in her fingers again. "So young…"

A knock in the door interrupted the two women and Asha called out harshly, "Who is it?"

"Katara's presence is required by Princess Azula and her friends, Asha."

Katara recognized the duplicate voices to be the weathered sounds of Lo and Li. Asha huffed and opened her bedroom door. Katara could now clearly see the twin women with twin expressions on their face. Scowls were set in place when Asha opened the door and glared at the two advisors.

"Right now, Katara needs to be with the other women who are in her same position and to learn her place." Asha raised a dark eyebrow at them and began to close the door.

"I wouldn't do that, Asha," a cold voice said. Azula appeared behind Lo and Li, with a cold-hearted smirk. "You might be my father's chief whore, but you need to understand your place more. Lo and Li said that _I _requested Katara. Or perhaps, you didn't hear them correctly?"

Gritting her teeth, Asha replied, "I must not have, Princess. Forgive me." She stiffly bowed her head and the smirk grew more pronounced on Azula's face. "However, you must understand that your father left me orders to ensure Katara is in full understanding of her duties."

"'Duties'? She just has to lie there, doesn't she? I mean, it isn't as if fucking is that hard of a concept to understand." Katara glared at Azula from behind Asha, her fists clenching and her nails digging into the skin of her palm. Her eyes met with Azula's and the golden irises narrowed in disgust. Her upper lip curling in revulsion, Azula forfeited. She looked away from Katara to walk away, followed by Lo and Li. "Fine. You might as well just take her back to the brothel she came from to pick up tips. She'll be sure to fully understand her 'duties'."

Asha growled and slammed the door. Katara began to pity the doors of the palace as they seemed to be slammed quite often. She exhaled noisily and opened another door in her bedroom. "You can wash up in there and change in here. I can have a girl bring the rest of the clothes to your room, which I found out is right next to Prince Zuko's."

"Thank you, Asha."

"I'll be going now for breakfast. You can do whatever you want, Katara. Just watch your step, especially around the crazy harpies." Raising her perfectly plucked eyebrows at her, Asha left the room and Katara entered the bathroom, turning on the faucet to fill the marble tub with warm water.

Sinking in the soothing water, Katara stared enviously at all of the vials and bottles of soaps and shampoos littered around the tub. She settled for one and began swirling the soapy liquid around her, happy to have finally been able to Waterbend after nearly two weeks of trying to avoid it for fear of being caught. Katara sank down in the water, her nose barely above water level and closed her eyes to relax in peace until the water started cooling. Sighing, Katara rinsed herself off and stepped out of the tub, drying herself off by bending the water off of her moist skin.

She slipped on the red harem pants and the midriff showing top that Asha lent her. She fastened some of her hair into a top know and let the rest cascade down her back in brunette waves. She put on the red slippers and cautiously left the bathroom, seeing that, as Asha said, the bedroom would be empty and the pile of clothes was gone, even Zuko's cloak. Katara walked back out into the courtyard and began wandering the palace grounds until she found herself into a tranquil garden with a pond full of a family of turtle ducks. Katara chuckled at the tiny ducklings as they swam happily, following their mother.

The grass rustled and she turned around to see Zuko staring at the pond as well. She bowed and Zuko nodded in return. "This is my mother's garden, you know. No one really ever comes in here except for me."

Not sure of how to respond, Katara offered, "I can go, if you want."

"No, it's fine. I'm just not used to other people in here. Did you eat?" When Katara nodded meekly, Zuko scoffed. "Liar."

"Huh?"

"I went back and saw the full platter of food. I suppose you wouldn't have much of an appetite, though." He stared at her and shrugged. "Whatever." He turned away and started leaving. For the first time, Katara noticed that he was dressed in armor and his shaggy hair from last night was pulled up into a top knot.

"Where are you going?"

"Don't tell me you're the clingy type."

"I'm not being clingy!" Katara countered. "I'm just curious. You're dressed in armor, after all." She crossed her arms in front of her chest and pursed her lips.

"A war meeting with my father and his advisors…" he began warily. "Not that it's any of your concern."

"Why? Because I'm a woman?"

Zuko chuckled. "A 'woman'?" He rolled his eyes. "Well partly because of that and mostly because you're a servant."

"So I wouldn't be able to come with you?"

"No." Zuko's golden eyes narrowed suspiciously at her and Katara gulped nervously. "Why would you? Most girls find them boring and would rather spend their time gossiping. Don't you?"

"I… I just thought that maybe I could better serve you if I were to follow you." Katara ignored the heated sensation in her cheeks as she blushed. However, she could see that Zuko was having difficulty accepting that as her reason for wanting to follow him into the meeting.

"No," was all he said before marching away.

"But—"

Zuko spun around and roared, "No! Goddamn it! Why is it so hard for you to fucking understand that I said 'no'?" After his emotional outburst, he turned away from Katara and she saw his tense shoulders rise nearly up to his ears. Quietly, enough that Katara wasn't sure enough that she was supposed to hear, he said in a low voice, "How horrible of a leader will I end up if I can't even control one girl?"

Katara's face fell and her shoulders slumped over in pity over the young prince and how she made him feel. She shook her head and walked off in the other direction. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Holding a hand to her forehead, she muttered, "Like that wasn't suspicious enough. Ugh… maybe Sokka's getting to me."

'_No. No matter how mad he might get or how much trouble I get in, I _have_ to get into that war meeting!' _

Her resolve strengthening, she hurried out of the garden and back into the palace, navigating herself through the labyrinth of palace halls before she turned a corner and immediately ducked back, this time peeking her head around the corner. She saw guards standing lackadaisically in front of two tall double doors. After watching a mustachioed man walk in, dressed in armor like Zuko, Katara was certain that this was where the meeting was being held.

Grateful that she could still see the garden in her line of sight, Katara looked around her and raised her arms and threw them backwards, towards her. A stream of water lifted from the pond in the garden and raced to join her side. She let the water envelop her arms so that she now had two watery sleeves and peeked around the corner again. Narrowing her eyes in concentration, Katara threw her arms out, using the double water whips to knock out the guards. Then, she rushed down to the doors and slipped in quietly before diving behind a pillar.

Turning around, she saw that everyone was staring towards Fire Lord Ozai, who sat on his throne, the wall of fire pulsating in front of him and blocking him from clear view. At his feet, there was a low, long, rectangular table with armored Fire Nation generals and dignitaries seated along its sides.

"There seems to be no sign of the Avatar in the mountains near the Eastern Air Temple, as we suspected. The temple was a location meant for female Airbenders. The young Avatar is supposed to be a male."

"Are you questioning my judgment, Lieutenant?" Fire Lord Ozai's cold voice sent shivers down Katara's spine.

"No, of course not, my lord. I was just…"

A jolly, elderly voice broke through the tension. With a hearty chuckle, Iroh's voice boomed, "Lieutenant Jee, you are very logical, but you understand, the Avatar must have learned in the past century to not hide in such obvious places. Of course we should look everywhere for him, as my brother sought to do, I'm sure."

Katara smiled softly at the mediator and his happy demeanor, even in such a tense atmosphere, remembering him as the old man from the previous night. She peered out behind the pillar, trying to get a glimpse of him.

"Oh, yes. I understand completely now, General Iroh."

"Now, the Western Air Temple is completely empty, and we're now sure of the Eastern Temple, as well. Only that damned mechanic and others live there. We all know that there are certainly no Airbenders in the Southern Air Temple, so we have to assume that in my grandfather's destruction of the Air Nomads, the Avatar had no time to flee far and he must have traveled somewhere close," Iroh reasoned. "Therefore, the closest location that would aid him would be the Southern Water Tribe at the South Pole."

Katara let out a small gasp as she inhaled sharply. Her cerulean orbs scanned the table of powerful men quickly and her insides froze when she saw Prince Zuko's golden eyes stare at her, incensed. She was left frozen and could barely move her eyes away from his, let alone register what the Fire Lord said in reply.

Ozai scoffed. "That frozen wasteland? The people there are disgusting, filthy, and have no resources to hide the Avatar. After our last raids, the insipid village is broken, as are its people."

Katara's eyebrows knit together in worry and she felt her heart race as she panicked, sweat starting to coat her palms. She could make out the fact that Zuko's mouth was moving in minute shapes, mouthing the words, _'Get. Out. Now.'_

She nodded quickly and moved in the shadows, desperate to get out of the room.

'_Damn stupid Hahn for getting me into this mess. Damn Zuko and his hearing and eyesight. Damn this whole war. Damn the entire Fire Nation!'_

Katara was able to find the service entrance into the throne room and quickly ran through, entering a kitchen. The cooks and maids gave her strange looks and she smiled awkwardly in return while she left and found herself into the dining room.

"And damn this palace!"

"What the hell did you think you were doing?"

Katara shrieked and whirled around, letting out another squeal of shock when she was chest to chest with an irate Firebender. Zuko towered over her threateningly. He scoffed at her and threw his hands up.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? For a servant to be present at a fucking war meeting?"

Katara cringed at his tone and language but for once, she had nothing to say in return. She had gotten caught and she prayed to Tui and La and all of the spirits that she would be shown mercy. She felt herself bend backwards as Zuko leaned down over her. He grabbed her upper arms roughly and she screwed her eyes shut while slightly turning her face away. She was stunned when she felt his grip loosen and his hot breath came away from her face.

"I'm not going to hit a woman," he said in frustration. "That's disgusting." His amber eyes scorched her soul, it felt. Shaking his head, he stormed off again, calling, "Just get out of my sight for now."

Gulping apprehensively, Katara ran out of the dining room and into a different hallway than the one Zuko walked into, she hoped. She hurried down the corridor before she managed to find her way to the entrance of the palace, staring down at the rest of the capital city from the steps of the palace. Katara rushed down the steps and through the palace gates.

Somehow, Katara had managed to find her way back to the streets she had been living on for the last two weeks. Never did she think that she was be relieved in being back in that environment. She wandered through the streets when she saw a familiar ponytail that was buying fire flakes from a street vendor.

"Sokka!" Katara ran towards her older brother and hugged him fiercely. "Oh, you're okay. I thought for sure that you had gotten yourself into big trouble earlier this morning."

Sokka returned the hug but pulled away quickly, narrowing his eyes at her. "And I never would have thought that I'd ever see my little sister wake up in another man's bed without any real clothes on," he countered.

"You know I have no control over that."

"I swear, that jerk…"

"We didn't. He didn't." Katara shocked herself at her quick defense of Zuko. Shaking her head, she continued, "In any case, what are you doing now? What were you doing at the palace this morning?"

"Well this morning, I was at the palace because I've been working as a messenger and I actually had a message for Prince Zuko, so I figured that it could be my way in. That didn't work out too well. As for now, follow me."

Sokka led Katara down the street and into a dark alley where they climbed a tall wall, dropping down into another alleyway where Sokka furtively knocked on an inconspicuous side door. The door opened a crack and Katara could see a pair of eyes look Sokka and her over. The door widened and Sokka pulled Katara into the darkness, shutting the door behind them. Katara followed Sokka deep into the dark hallway and through a ragged curtain. He pulled back the curtain and Katara raised her eyebrows at the pairs of eyes staring back at her.

She was drawn to the tall, lanky boy standing in the back of the room with shaggy brown hair and narrow brown eyes. He smirked at her with ease even though he held a twig between his teeth. He was leaning against the back wall coolly, as if he were monitoring what the others were doing, which was what Katara suspected. The boy lifted an eyebrow at her curiously and with interest.

Sokka sighed and looked from him to Katara, introducing them. "Katara, this is Jet and these are his Freedom Fighters. They—"

Jet leaned off of the wall and crossed the small room making his way towards the Water Tribe siblings. Katara was now able to fully grasp his height and could sense the confidence he was exuding. He held a hand out, which Katara took and they shook hands while his eyes didn't leave her, causing Katara to bite her lip to suppress a smile.

"My name is Jet, and these are my Freedom Fighters."

"Which is what I just said," Sokka deadpanned.

Katara smiled at Jet. "Sounded cooler when he said it," she joked. She grinned at her scowling brother while sneaking a look at the smirking seventeen year old out of the corner of her eye. "So… 'Freedom Fighters'? Am I supposed to know what means?"

"We're a group of kids who have decided that we're not going to stand for the Fire Nation's bullshit anymore and that we're going to fight back and take revenge for all of the pain that those bastards have put us through." Jet's eyes flashed with anger momentarily before they lost their hard edge and the expression in them soon lightened when he continued quietly, "Most of us are orphans now and all we have is each other."

Katara's eyes softened. She began to open her mouth to speak when Sokka lifted a hand. "If you don't mind, Jet, I'd like to have a word with my sister. Privately." Grabbing Katara's wrist, Sokka pulled her out of the room, through the curtain and down the dark, empty hallway. "Katara, will you stop making goo goo eyes at him and start thinking with your head?"

Scoffing, Katara brushed him off. "Sokka, I don't know what you're talking about!" Nevertheless, she averted her cerulean eyes away from her brother's and felt her cheeks warm up with the fresh pooling of blood. "I don't even know him. Besides, I'm not here looking for a boyfriend. I'm here to help our people."

Snorting in disbelief, Sokka folded his arms over his chest. "I just hope you remember that the next time the guy smiles at you. Seriously, Katara! I met them while I was in the Earth Kingdom last week. They're probably good to have as allies or for back up, but I don't trust them. Especially Jet."

"Well then, why did you bring me here to meet with them?"

"They want to run something by you. I told them how you were able to score a place in the Fire Nation Palace." Sokka shuddered. "I don't want to know the details, but tell me, do they suspect anything?"

Biting down on her lip, Katara frowned and sighed. "Honestly, I might have messed up a little today." She pursed her lips and Sokka urged her to continue with the waving of his hands.

"Well? What the hell happened?"

"I might have gotten caught by Prince Zuko today when I snuck into a war meeting with Fire Lord Ozai and his council of advisors and generals. But from what I heard, it sounds like the bastard's going crazy." Katara's eyes squinted as she remembered the meeting. "He was talking about trying to find the Avatar. That's ridiculous, right? The Avatar disappeared a century ago. But the thing is, they're going crazy looking for him and they think that he might be hiding in the South Pole."

"Dad…"

"Exactly."

Sighing heavily, Sokka replied, "Well there's nothing we can do about it now. All we can try to do is keep moving on and this time, we can get help from the Freedom Fighters. But I want to warn you to be careful around them. There's something off."

"Hey, are you two done, yet? The rest of us want to run something by Katara." Jet appeared from the darkness and stepped into the dim light offered by the lit sconces nailed onto the wall, among its peeling paint. "Now if you don't mind, Sokka, _I'd _like to speak to your sister privately."

"Hey, listen, Jet—"

Putting a hand on his shoulder, Katara shook her head at Sokka. Evenly, she assured him, "It's fine Sokka. I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself." She watched Sokka stalk away, looking over his shoulder to glare at the back of Jet's head suspiciously before disappearing into the darkness of the hallway. Katara could hear him pull the heavy curtain and the sudden boisterous sounds of the Freedom Fighters traveled before the curtain fell back and the sound was once again muffled. She rubbed her bare upper arm and looked up at Jet, who smiled down at her.

'_Now that I think about it, something _doesn't_ sit right with me about him. But maybe Sokka's just overreacting and I'm letting him get to me.'_

Before Jet had a chance to speak, Katara lifted her hand and reminded him, "I'm not sure what you're up to, but I'm not doing this for anyone except my family and my people. Whatever you have planned, it's _my_ life on the line and the lives of everyone counting on me, because if I get caught, it's not going to end well. The Fire Lord and the rest of the Royal Family aren't exactly the forgiving type."

"I understand. But before we talk about that, I was wondering if maybe you'd like to walk around town with me. Just for an hour or so."

Lifting an eyebrow at him and placing her hands on her hips, Katara stared at Jet skeptically. "Are you really asking me on a date? Because maybe Sokka didn't exactly inform you, but I'm the property of Prince Zuko!" she exclaimed in fake joy. She rolled her eyes. "Either way, I'm stuck."

"What? You're afraid of having gossip and rumors travel back to the Fire Nation Brat? Heh. Don't worry. I'm pretty good at being sneaky." He held a hand out and offered it to her, an open invitation that was very appealing to Katara.

"That's what I'm worried about," she replied.

Jet's hand lowered. "You think you know all about me, don't you?"

Snorting, Katara rolled her eyes. "I know I do."

"Let me have a guess. You're a good girl, aren't you? Sure you're feisty, but you wouldn't dare defy anyone, especially _your people_." Katara glared at him for his mocking her. Ignoring the heated stare, he continued smoothly, "Come on. Is a walk around town with me really going to hurt? Let me show you a few things… lose a little bit of that self control. It's just one day, is that so wrong, Katara?"

"You're wrong," Katara insisted. "But I'd expect that from someone like you," she sneered.

"Someone like me?"

"Yeah, this whole 'I'm so cool and mysterious' bravado thing you're doing or for show or for whatever. I know all about your type. I'd be stupid to trust you, Jet." She saw the challenge in his expression and her azure eyes flashed in defiance. "But then again, just one day couldn't be so bad. But I'm _not_ losing anything." She made a point of giving him a look that he merely chuckled at.

"Fine."

Katara's scowl faded and she smiled at him and her cheeks turned cherry pink when he nodded at another door and she followed him back onto the streets. Once they got onto the crowded streets of the Merchant District, Jet wrapped an arm around Katara's waist and Katara's blush deepened.

"Hold on," he instructed before tightening his grip and grunting as he leaped into the air, his other arm extended and holding a tiger hook sword. The sword caught onto an awning of the building and he swung them both to the top of the awning and he leaped higher onto the next awning before leaning over, reaching his hand out. Katara took it and, with his help, lifted herself onto the awning with him. They both sat near the top of the building and she smiled at the scenery beyond the city.

"Well this wasn't much of a walk, but the ocean's beautiful."

"I guess…"

Chuckling softly, she asked, "You don't think so?"

"Not compared to my view."

Katara turned and saw him staring at her with a half-smile on his face. He leaned closer towards her and Katara surprised herself by not backing away. Instead, she waited for him to come closer until his hand brushed past her body, wrapping around her until he placed it on the bare skin of the small of her back, causing heat to spread throughout her whole body— a heat that had nothing to do with the hot August sun. He pressed his lips onto hers and pulled her closer while she placed her hands on his shoulders, her eyes closing slowly.

When Jet ran his tongue over her lip, Katara's eyes snapped back open and she pulled away quickly, her cheeks flushed, her heart beating quickly, and her breathing erratic. She gawked at Jet, wide eyed, and then gasped when she heard a familiar voice on the streets below. Her hair whipped as her head turned to look down and cursed.

"Damn it! What's he doing here?"

Jet turned his eyes towards the direction Katara was looking and pulled her down so they lay flat on the awning, their heads hanging over the edge while they peered down at the Fire Nation Prince walking through the squalid area of the Capital City, his shoulders indicating the tension he held. He ignored the citizens who bowed down or kneeled before him, his eyes searching. They could hear him give indiscernible orders to the armored Fire Nation soldiers surrounding him and they spread out, entering several stores and restaurants.

"Look, we've run out of time sooner than I thought we would. I need to tell you the plan now. The Freedom Fighters have been planning an infiltration of the Fire Nation Palace and you're perfect for it. You know the guards' patterns and how to get in and out, don't you?"

"Barely! I just arrived less than two days ago. Jet, what do you mean an 'infiltration'? That was never part of my assignment. I'm just supposed to spy on them and send word back to my father, not _attack! That's. Stupid._ It's still stupid regardless of whether I'm by myself or the Freedom Fighters join in— there's too many Firebenders. We would be outnumbered." She frowned. "I'm not going to fight."

"You don't have to. Leave that to me and the others."

"Jet—"

"Come on, I've got to get you back to the prince before the Freedom Fighters are found. We're not going to try anything, but try and meet us by the palace walls tonight. Maybe you could at least sneak us in." He raised his eyebrows at her and pouted, pleading, "Come on, Katara. You don't have to do it for me, or even for yourself. Do it for all of the families and lives destroyed by the Fire Nation and how this could be our chance… For a lot of things," he suggested.

Katara gaped at him while he snuck another kiss on her lips and then disappeared, climbing up onto the low roof of the building and jumping on another roof before he disappeared from her sight. She groaned in annoyance and hung over the edge of the awning, landing softly on the one below her again and repeated the process, this time landing stiffly on the hard stone of the alleyway. Katara froze when she heard deep chuckles behind her and she instinctively twitched her arms to bend the water out of her skins but froze when she realized that she couldn't Waterbend or else be found out and that she didn't have her water skins on her.

"This isn't the place for a pretty girl like you, sweetie."

Narrowing her eyes at the three thugs slowly creeping towards her, Katara backed up slowly, deeper into the alley, she realized with a grimace, and her lip curled into a sneer. "Then maybe you should let me out of here, _sweetie_," she spat.

The other man let out a low whistle. "Actually, by the looks of her, she belongs in that place two doors down. They _do_ have some of the more… _exotic_ types. At least, from what I've seen."

Her sneer fell when they began to converge on her. At the same time, a golden eyed prince saw the three go into the alley and heard a female voice, instantly grabbing his attention. What got his attention even more was that he recognized the voice to be Katara's. Zuko rushed to the alley, his fists beginning to flame at the thought of three filthy men daring to touch a defenseless girl, even if she did have a sharp tongue. A bruised ego wasn't enough to stop these types of guys. He ran into the mouth of the alleyway, ready to release the heat from his palms when he saw a boy lunge at the three men with a sword.

The thugs jumped out of the way from the strange, dark blade and tried to maneuver out of his way. One managed to slip past him and grab Katara but instead of fear showing on her face, an angry scowl appeared and thrashing in his arms, Katara snapped her head back to collide with his and he dropped her, grasping his nose while she flipped away and rotated while lifting her leg, kicking at his stomach, sending him back.

The other two thugs ran out of the alley after being knocked down roughly by Sokka, scrambling to their feet, but not until they met with Zuko who glared dangerously at them. Immediately, soldiers appeared at Zuko's side. "Grab the three of them. They can rot in the prison until I'm satisfied," he ordered coldly. While they were dragged away, he stepped into the alley and looked over Katara once, his eyebrows twitching upwards in the quickest of seconds before he appraised Sokka.

"That wasn't bad. Considering that fact that it was two against one and that you're probably less than half the size of one of those guys, I'm somewhat impressed." He gave Sokka a condescending look and asked, "Would you like a job in the palace?" He took in Sokka's disheveled appearance and ratty clothes. "It's free room and board for your work," he added, as if he expected adoration from Sokka.

Nodding stoically, Sokka bowed and answered, "I'm grateful for the opportunity." He looked out of the corner of his eye where he saw Katara bow in front of Zuko, who had turned to her, his expression contorting into one that indicated he was rather besides himself.

"When I told you to get out of my sight, I didn't mean to leave the palace walls," he scolded.

'_I got into a huge fight with Mai over this. Over _her_! There's no reason for that to have happened. This girl… a peasant… how is she able to affect me?'_

_There was the quiet creak of the door and Zuko lifted his head from his desk and saw his bedroom door open with his girlfriend standing in the threshold of the door. Lifting an eyebrow at her, he smirked as she smiled coyly at him and threw the door closed, sauntering towards him. She stood behind him, gently putting her hands on his shoulders. Zuko could feel the ends of her long strands of shiny, black hair tickle the back of his neck._

_Mai's palms moved from his shoulders slowly, sliding down before they spanned his muscular chest. She leaned down, putting her chin on his left shoulder. Whispering into his ear, she suggested, "You seem stressed… maybe you should take a break."_

"_From being Prince?" he scoffed._

_Her narrow, golden eyes closed and she dragged her lips across the edge of his jaw until her thin lips brushed against his ear. "Just for a little bit."_

_Groaning, Zuko shivered as her breath caressed the sensitive appendage and he stood up roughly, causing Mai to back away. He took her face in his hands and abruptly pressed their lips together, trying to relieve the fire that had pooled in his lower abdomen, the action both satisfying and fueling it. He relished in the sensation of her long, manicured nails raking down his chest while they kissed passionately. Her hands finished their journey down his chest and grabbed the bottom hem of his shirt before pulling it up. Zuko timed it so that his lips separated from hers right when the shirt had to be pulled over his head so that they wasted no time in tossing the shirt on the floor and returned their lips together._

_Zuko knew Mai well and instead of running his lip over hers or biting down on it softly, he pressed her closer to him so that she would let out a small moan, parting her lips and giving him entrance into her mouth. He picked up the thin girl easily and lowered themselves onto his bed, his arms on either side of her shoulders while he held himself up._

_The vague smell of gardenias, cherry blossoms, and fresh rain lingered on his sheets and pillows and he froze. Zuko pulled away from Mai and lied down next to her, groaning in frustration as he realized he just seemed to immerse himself in the scent even more— Katara's scent._

"_What's wrong?" Mai turned over to her side and put her hand on Zuko's bare chest again. She sat up and waited with a bored expression on her face. "Do you just not want to do it?"_

"_It's nothing," he quipped._

"_Is this because of that whore your father got you? Because you told me that nothing was going to happen. You said that she was just going to be another maid to you," she reminded him, her tone accusing._

"_No, it's not because of Katara!" he retorted._

_Mai recoiled and raised her perfectly trimmed eyebrows at him. "'Katara'? You've learned her name and _remembered_ it? This is ridiculous, Zuko. _I'm_ your girlfriend."_

"_Oh, really?" he asked, his voice dripping with sardonic acidity. "Damn it, Mai, it's not as if I fucking forgot that." Zuko growled in frustration and ran his hands through his hair, slightly pulling at the shaggy locks of jet black hair. "I'm just… I have my mind on other things."_

"_Like Katara," she sneered._

"_If you want to torture yourself with this, fine. I admit it— I'm a little annoyed with the fact that both you and she have pissed me off today." He turned away and muttered, "Maybe you should go now, Mai. I'll talk to you tomorrow."_

_Mai had the slightest of frowns on her face. The corners of her lips were downturned at a minimum degree. She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Okay, I'm sorry, Zuko. I… It's just hard for me to be your girlfriend when I know girls are constantly being thrown at you. And you're ignoring me."_

"_I'm not ignoring you, Mai," Zuko muttered._

_She lowered herself down and held his face in her hands, pulling his face towards her but he gently took her hand off of his face and turned in the other direction._

_Huffing in disbelief, Mai stared at Zuko, grunting in a mixture of disgust and disbelief before she stormed out of the room. Zuko rolled over and stared at the canopy of his bed, glaring at it. He turned to stare out of the window that offered him a view of his mother's garden, his eyebrows scrunched together in a scowl. He leapt out of the bed and threw on his shirt._

_He called out into the hallway, "Where's Katara?"_

_A middle aged woman entered the room, her post being in the same hallway for that shift. She bowed quickly and explained, "I'm sorry, sir. No one's seen her for the past few hours. Asha was the last person to see her before she disappeared."_

Zuko widened his eyes at her. "What the fuck could you possibly have been doing here for the entire fucking day? And in _this_ part of the city?"

"You told me to get out!" Katara defended.

"Like I said, I didn't mean out of the fucking palace!" he roared in return. He let out a sound that Katara likened to a mix between a groan and a snarl. "Look, let's just get back." His tawny eyes glared at her before he took her by the arm and looked ahead at the setting sun before stomping back towards the soldiers, lifting her up into the palanquin while he walked with the rest of the men.

As soon as they were within the perimeter of the palace walls, Katara threw herself off of the curtained carriage, landing neatly on the paved front courtyard, harrumphing defiantly while she walked the rest of the way, up the stairs and into the palace itself. She widened her sapphire eyes at the ivory hand that gripped her wrist firmly when she tried to continue walking away. Zuko either did not feel or ignored her struggling and protests while he called over another servant.

"He will be a new servant. Show him his room and give him his set of chores."

When the man nodded, Zuko turned and made his way down the hallway, dragging Katara along behind him, staring at Sokka with pleading eyes. Sokka shrugged and widened his own eyes at her while he was quickly being ushered in the opposite direction by the person in command Zuko had instructed.

"Seriously, what the hell do you _want_ from me? I probably would have been better off selling my soul in that brothel!" Katara yelled. She squeaked and widened her eyes in shock before narrowing them in indignation at the fair skinned hand placed over her lips. The slits of bright blue that were her eyes sent daggers of hatred towards Zuko. She slapped his hand away and whipped her head in the other direction but he just put it back.

His face was twisted into a hard scowl. "You. Are. Not. Yelling. At. Me. In. Public." he bit out, the words accentuated by the brief pauses in between. Zuko pulled Katara down several hallways and Katara recognized it to be his wing of the palace. He roughly let go of her arm when they stopped in front of a bedroom. He threw it open and waved his arm towards the inside of the room. "This is your room. Those are the clothes Asha lent you, but I've already bought you some clothes of your own. You could've had your measurements done today, but since you ran off, you'll have to be measured tomorrow."

Katara looked from him and to the cozy room he showed her. The bed was large with silky looking sheets and blankets and had four posters that were wrought in gold and had a sheer golden fabric for a canopy. There was another door that she guessed was her own bathroom. She could smell the floral scents of the freshly washed linen and the appetizing scent of the tray of food on the small table. The moonlight poured in from the window that had a view of the garden, like Zuko's. "_This_ is my room?"

"Well if you'd prefer to stay at the brothel you were talking about…" he intoned, reminding Katara of her previous words.

She looked at him and then down at her hands. Katara glanced up to apologize to him when she saw the door of his bedroom next door close quietly. Frowning, she walked into her own candlelit bedroom, softly closing the door. She could have sworn that she heard his bedroom door open again and footsteps towards her room, but she chalked it up to her imagination. She ran her mocha-skinned fingers lightly across the soft fabric of the bed and gently grasped the thin golden canopy surrounding her bed, admiring the delicate material. She sat down and sulked, her lips pushed out in a pout while she rested a cheek on her hand.

"Pst!"

Katara jumped off the bed and reached for the fork on the bedside table, near her tray of dinner, and threw it towards her open window. She heard the sound of a distinct thump from the metal utensil hitting a head. A shadow appeared over the edge of the window sill and Katara warned, "I swear to Tui and La, the next thing going out of the window is the knife!"

"You know, you should probably stop mentioning 'Tui and La' if you want to be convincing." Sokka appeared outside of her window, rubbing the side of his head with one hand and holding the fork in the other, his arctic eyes glaring at the innocent utensil. "And you should really stop hitting me. I've been telling you that since you were three years old."

Sighing, Katara rushed to her window and helped pull him up over the ledge. "What do you think you're doing?" she hissed. "You _just_ got into the palace. It's your first night and you decide to sneak around suspiciously in the middle of the night?"

"Come on, I know you, Katara. The full moon is making you totally restless, isn't it? Why don't you just lock your door and we can scope out a good spot to let in Jet and the other Freedom Fighters?"

"Okay, let's say we _do_ manage to miraculously sneak them in? What are we supposed to do until then?" She snorted. "We're not _really_ going to join them in attacking. It's a suicide mission."

"Yeah and God forbid we let your boyfriend get caught," Sokka rolled his eyes when Katara blushed. "Look, I told you that I don't trust the guy. I still don't, even if you're in love with him. But the thing is... they're obviously not going to succeed."

"They're a diversion," Katara caught on. "What exactly are we supposed to do while they're busy grabbing the guards' attention?"

"While I was in the Merchant District, I met up with some people who used to work in the palace and was able to get some basic blueprints." He walked over to Katara's bare desk and pulled out a roll of parchment, rolling it out to reveal a crude drawing of the layout of the Fire Nation Royal Palace. "This is Fire Lord Ozai's bedroom," he pointed to a large square that was located near the hall that Katara recognized as the hall where Asha and the other concubines stayed. "Over here is the throne room where he holds his meetings. Now this is where we need to be from the time we let the Freedom Fighters get caught."

His index finger pointed to a small square on the map that Katara noticed was on the opposite side of the palace from where her room was and she raised her eyebrows. "How are we going to get our way through this place? It's huge."

Rolling up the blueprint, Sokka explained, "I've been studying the blueprint for a while and I think it's pretty accurate. What do you think?"

"You're asking me? Sokka, you probably know the layout of this place better than I do…" she murmured in reply. Katara glanced quickly at her bedroom door. "Fine. This might actually work. Now come on, let's get out of here and over to the palace walls. I noticed a blind spot that the guards usually ignore. How do we tell them where to meet us?"

"Leave that to me. Let's just hurry."

The two Water Tribe siblings hurried and climbed out of Katara's bedroom, landing on the soft, green grass of Ursa's garden. The full moon provided a silvery glow over the palace grounds and there was minimal wind. They were able to hurry out of the garden and into the courtyard where the opposite hall held Asha and the others' rooms. They crouched in the shadow of the tall palace walls, Katara watching warily for any royal guards.

Sokka cupped his hands around his mouth and he let out a cooing sound that resembled a bird call. Faintly, Katara could pick up a returning bird call. She raised her eyebrows at him and he shrugged, "So I picked up a couple new tricks." He pulled out a small knife that he kept hidden in his boot and did something that Katara recognized. He stabbed it into the soft ground and listened carefully to the vibrations of the knife. "I think it's only two or three of them."

"They planned to overthrow Fire Lord Ozai with only three kids, one of whom isn't even a teenager?" Katara replied skeptically. "Check your knife, again."

"It really is just three of them… but you have a point. Well Jet's a cocky son of a bitch. He really may think that three of them is enough to take out the guards and storm the palace." He raised an eyebrow at her suspiciously. "You still like him?"

Deflecting his question, Katara said, "I think you're selling him short, though. Wait! Be quiet."

"Why? Did you hear another bird call? What did it sound like?"

"No. I just wanted you to shut up."

Before Sokka could reply, there was an actual bird call that was much closer than the previous one, just over on the other side of the wall. Suddenly, they saw a dark coil come over the edge and they made out the shape to be rope that dangled down the wall. Jet's tall frame soon appeared over the top of the wall and he climbed down the rope, followed by a thin boy of average height who held a bow and arrow, along with a small androgynous looking kid with a bowl-shaped haircut.

"This is Smellerbee and Longshot," Jet introduced. The two in question nodded stoically at Sokka and Katara. He walked into the middle of the courtyard, flanked by them. He gave them a curt nod before the three of them disappeared into the darkness.

Sokka and Katara shared a look before Sokka nodded at her. "Go wake someone up and I'll get a head start on making my way to Fire Lord Ozai's office." He pointed to the hallways they had come from, near Zuko's room. Just go back to your room and from there, make your way to the ballroom and then through the dining hall. If you go past there and into the kitchen, the office is two right turns away from there."

"Yeah…"

"I'll trust you to remember that and not get lost." He raised his eyebrows at her and then jogged backwards before turning around, disappearing back into the palace.

Shaking her head, Katara made her way slowly to Asha's room. Once she saw that Sokka disappeared back into the palace, she knocked urgently on Asha's door. A disheveled, groggy Asha opened the door slowly, her face looking as if she were ready to scream at whoever woke her up. When she saw that it was Katara, however, she quickly became alert, her eyes losing their heaviness and widening with attentiveness.

"Katara? What in Agni are you doing here so late?"

Widening her cerulean eyes in feigned innocence and fear, Katara shook her head vigorously. "You need to call the guards! I woke up because I heard noises and I saw three dark figures go past my room and towards this direction!"

"You what?" Asha shrieked. She pulled Katara into her room and whispered urgently, "Stay put in here. The guards will take care of them." Katara thought that the older woman was talking more to herself than to her. Asha pulled a rope that hung near her bedroom door and Katara could hear the shifting and clicking of gears before she heard a loud buzzing sound that vibrated through the room, and most likely, the entire palace.

Katara panicked while she tried to think of a way to let Asha let her out so that she could get to Sokka.

'_This can't be good. Sokka's done for.'_

* * *

**Acknowledgements:**

**Alaea Mori:** Thank you for the review! A building love _is _much, much sweeter than wham bam haha, but I have to say, I _am_ the type who gets easily frustrated by the blockheadedness that often comes with the building. I'm pretty impatient but I'll have to write against myself and make this slow and painful for all of you. Mwahahahahaha! Just kidding— sort of. I do agree with you about Mai, though. I don't blame her for her pretty monotonous personality, concerning her home environment and I wouldn't do anything to mean to her… yet. And everyone loves a bit of Iroh :) I hope you're satisfied with this chapter.

**silver meerkat:** Yes, I had to end it with Sokka and his infamous "Sokka look". I figure that would provide a nice comical cliffhanger. Well at least he was able to rein in it and remember that he couldn't give her away.

**Melissa:** Thank you so much, you have no idea how much that means to me! I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to update but at least I updated at all, right? Yeah, that probably doesn't help much, but I promise that I'll keep working on hard on the next chapter and get it out soon… hopefully lol.

Until next time, read, review, wonder.


	5. The Repercussions

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs purely to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Chapter 4: The Repercussions

* * *

**Summary:** As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty and life, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

_Last Time…_

_Sokka and Katara shared a look before Sokka nodded at her. "Go wake someone up and I'll get a head start on making my way to Fire Lord Ozai's office." He pointed to the hallways they had come from, near Zuko's room. Just go back to your room and from there, make your way to the ballroom and then through the dining hall. If you go past there and into the kitchen, the office is two right turns away from there."_

_"Yeah…"_

_"I'll trust you to remember that and not get lost." He raised his eyebrows at her and then jogged backwards before turning around, disappearing back into the palace._

_Shaking her head, Katara made her way slowly to Asha's room. Once she saw that Sokka disappeared back into the palace, she knocked urgently on Asha's door. A disheveled, groggy Asha opened the door slowly, her face looking as if she were ready to scream at whoever woke her up. When she saw that it was Katara, however, she quickly became alert, her eyes losing their heaviness and widening with attentiveness._

_"Katara? What in Agni are you doing here so late?"_

_Widening her cerulean eyes in feigned innocence and fear, Katara shook her head vigorously. "You need to call the guards! I woke up because I heard noises and I saw three dark figures go past my room and towards this direction!"_

_"You what?" Asha shrieked. She pulled Katara into her room and whispered urgently, "Stay put in here. The guards will take care of them." Katara thought that the older woman was talking more to herself than to her. Asha pulled a rope that hung near her bedroom door and Katara could hear the shifting and clicking of gears before she heard a loud buzzing sound that vibrated through the room, and most likely, the entire palace._

_Katara panicked while she tried to think of a way to let Asha let her out so that she could get to Sokka._

'This can't be good. Sokka's done for.'

* * *

Sika and Sato gave their great-grandmother another look, their arms crossed and eyebrows raised. Sika rolled her blue-green eyes just like her mother would, the short brown hair swinging. "Are you telling me Daddy got in trouble _again_? Jeez."

Kanna gave her a crinkly-eyed smile and explained, "Your father isn't exactly the 'knight in shining armor' type, Sika. Now your mother, on the other hand, _she_ could get your father out of some tough spots. And she did, even in this story."

"Does this mean that this story has how Mommy and Daddy met?" she asked excitedly.

"I'm afraid not, dear. By the time this story takes place, your father already made a fool of himself in front of your mother." She sighed heavily and turned towards the darkness displayed in the window. "I think it's time that we continue the story another time."

Pakku suggested, "Perhaps in the morning?" when he saw the crestfallen looks on the children's face.

Sika and Sato shook their heads in refusal but couldn't fight the yawn that left their mouths. Smiling knowingly, Kanna and Pakku helped the two up off of the floor and into their beds.

"Please, Gran-Gran," Sika pleaded. "Just a little more. Just until I fall asleep."

"No, until _I_ fall asleep."

"Shut up, Sato. You're such a baby— you're obviously going to fall asleep first."

"Am not!"

With a stern look, Kanna shushed the argumentative siblings. "You two are just like your father and aunt. I'll tell the story for a little longer. It's far too late already. No 'buts'."

* * *

Katara's sapphire colored eyes shifted across the room and to and from Asha nervously while she rubbed her bare arms, the friction between her skin offering her some warmth. Her eyebrows knit together and she asked timidly, "Asha? What is that? What did you just do?"

Asha turned around and looked at Katara as if she had grown another head and had confessed that she was half human, half elephant koi. "What in the world is the matter with you? Obviously, I rang the alarm. Katara, what's going on?" Her light, ocher eyes scrutinized the Water Tribe teenager and narrowed in suspicion.

"Wh-wh-what do you mean?" Katara stammered. "I told you! I heard noises, saw three dark figures, and I ran for help!" Katara could feel the heat rising from her neck to her cheeks and she hoped that the blush wasn't strong enough to show itself through the russet colored tones of her skin. She gulped nervously under Asha's stare and she averted her eyes quickly.

Her heart squeezed in her chest when there was a knock on the door and Asha opened her bedroom doors cautiously, only allowing a sliver of moonlight to enter the dark room. Katara could make out the silhouettes of two Fire Nation Royal Guards standing on the other side of the door and the constriction in her chest loosened only to give way to pump at a furious pace.

'_Sokka… I'm going to kill you for all the damage you're inflicting on my heart!'_ she hissed in her mind.

Rolling her eyes, Katara sighed and resorted to dramatics, seeing as how nothing else would work.

Katara pushed past Asha roughly, the older woman stepping backwards, away from the teenager that was in near hysterics, as she clutched onto the arms of the palace guards. Katara's slim fingers were gripping tightly onto the thick, red fabric of their sleeves and she had her eyebrows scrunched together while her eyes were glassy with unshed tears.

"Please! Please! You have to take me to Prince Zuko! I have to know if he's safe! Take me to him!" she demanded.

Both guards shared a look, turning their heads towards each other as if to say _'What the fuck man?'_ but then turned back towards Katara before shrugging and looking to Asha. "Ma'am? Would you mind explaining why Prince Zuko's girl is acting as if she's crazy?"

"Please," she sighed, "can you just go with the other guards to patrol the corridor where Katara's room is?" Arching a well groomed eyebrow at the guards, her voice took on a convincingly haughty tone, and her nose turned up in the slightest degree. "After all, if there _is_ a threat and you choose not to do anything about it… well I can assure you that Fire Lord Ozai won't be too happy."

The two guards' complexions blanched, a sight that Katara couldn't have previously predicted, seeing as how they both had the ivory skin of the majority of the citizens of the Fire Nation. One of them waved the other away hurriedly while he nodded at Asha, flustered.

"Yes, of course, ma'am. We'll get right on that!"

Katara watched with wide eyes as the two grown men scurried away from just one glare from Asha, a woman, who perhaps may be vain at times and truly a woman of the Fire Nation, Katara thought to be sweet and harmless. She glanced over at her and saw her frowning, absentmindedly wringing her hands. Katara gently put her hand on her shoulder, raising an eyebrow when she felt the muscles underneath her touch flinch.

"Maybe you should lie down," Katara suggested.

Asha looked at her as if she forgot about her. "Yes, you're right. I can't do anything… would you be a dear and blow out the candles? I don't mind if you want to stay here tonight." The older woman fluidly lowered herself onto her bed and placed a small handkerchief over her eyes while she laid a hand on her forehead. "I've got the worst headache now…" Asha groaned.

Katara made quick work of blowing out the candles, hesitating slightly at the door after the last one was extinguished, inhaling the new smoky smell that filled the room. She found a surprising comfort in the smell that she found familiar but couldn't place. Shrugging it off, Katara slowly slipped through the door before closing it with the lightest of touches. As soon as she heard the subtle click of the door, Katara turned around and bolted, cursing that she couldn't go back towards her hallway now that Asha sent the guards there. Sokka gave her directions that started at her room— now what was she going to do?

Running across the courtyard, Katara slowed slightly when she came to the multiple entrances into the main building of the palace, biting her lip nervously. She took a faltering step towards one hallway before rocking back onto her heels.

'_Maybe it's _that_ one, over there…'_

Katara racked her mind, trying to remember the hallways from her limited experiences in the palace but she instead let out a growl of frustration.

'_This is ridiculous. I don't know my way around…'_

With a heavy sigh, Katara rushed into the first hallway and dashed past the flickering torch lit portraits staring down at her as she tried to find the dining room that Sokka said was close to the Fire Lord's office. She turned and twisted through the ornate, red and gold hallways before her confidence faltered and she slowed to a pace like that of a tortoise, defeat etching its impression into the crease between her eyebrows.

"Calm down, Katara… it's okay. Just relax," she murmured to herself.

Her lids started to feel heavy and fall more and more over her blue irises, until Katara realized that she was walking with her eyes closed. She groaned and put a hand to her forehead, groaning again from the wave of fatigue that washed over her. It was late into the night, maybe even early morning and she had barely gotten sleep the night before, what with her introduction to Zuko.

'_It's only been _two_ days. _Two. _Ugh… this is going to be the death of me… this place, this mission, these _people!_'_

She shook her head, letting out a small shriek of frustration, continuing to walk blindly before she turned the corner and collided with someone tall, face to chest with… him, it seemed. Katara lazily opened her eyes and let her eyes adjust to the dim lighting of the hallway before letting her eyes travel up the masculine chest before landing on Jet's face, complete with a raised eyebrow and an amused smirk.

His smirk deepened when he looked down at her and she opened her mouth to speak when they heard footsteps coming towards them. Jet's face hardened and the arm that gripped Katara's upper arm wove around to wrap around her shoulders and he held her in front of him, backing away slowly.

Struggling against his hold, Katara grunted, "Je—"

One of his hands clamped over her mouth and she rolled her eyes up at him to glare at him. He paid the look no attention and instructed, "Katara, don't say my name. We can't have them know who I am. And we can't have them know that you know me. There can be no association between us."

Katara felt a small pang of disappointment at his last words and then felt the heat of a blush crawl up her neck and face when she noticed said disappointment. She lowered her eyes from Jet's and let him walk them backwards, his hand slowly coming off of her mouth and resting on her opposite shoulder from where his arm curled around her. She looked back up at him quickly with a nervous glance, but he didn't notice, his eyes glaring into the empty hallway in front of them, focused on the corridor where the footsteps came from.

They watched the shadow of the approaching figure become shorter and shorter as he came closer to them. Finally, Katara saw a foot step around the corner and her breath caught in her throat in a short gasp. In reaction to the noise she made, Jet quickly slapped his hand over her mouth and held her closer to his chest. Katara could feel the contours of his chest pressed against her back and despite the situation, blushed due to the close contact.

"Katara!" he scolded in a forceful whisper. "We could have gotten away!"

Her face fell and she mumbled an apology against his palm. Her eyes widened into blue saucers and they were trained on the tall, lean silhouette that walked in their direction, slowing down as she and Jet came into view. Zuko's impassive face contorted into an angry scowl and his lips curled back in the image of an animalistic snarl. Immediately, he shifted into a defensive position, his hands up, ready to attack.

"Who are you? What do you want?" he spat at Jet.

"What? No foreplay?" Jet mocked. He laughed cynically and the sound made Katara shudder and she looked up at Jet with her wide eyes, Sokka's warnings echoing in her memory. "Come on, Prince Zuko. Go ahead and hit me with your best shot."

Katara flinched in Jet's arms, instinctually trying to get her arms free so that she could Waterbend, both at Zuko's attack and at Jet in anger. Her eyes screwed shut, preparing for the bright flames and heat but it never came. She opened her eyes and stared at Zuko in shock.

His stern facial expression was wavering, as if he were fighting something internally. His raised fists shook in the air, as if he were contemplating lowering them. Bewilderment overtook Katara and she felt her jaw slacken and drop.

'_Could he…really be caring about my safety?'_

Jet's other hand reached behind him and he pulled out one of his hook swords and pointed it at Zuko's direction. "You Fire Nation piece of slime…" he angrily sneered. "You think you have the right to decide who lives and who dies? You think you have the right to decide how other people should live? The right to decide who lives with or without parents?"

Jet's movements became more erratic as he continued yelling and his hold around Katara slackened. She inched away from him discreetly and looked up, seeing Zuko's light, amber eyes trained on her form. He unobtrusively ignored Jet's ranting and focused on Katara. Noticing that she was able to slowly separate from him, he minutely cocked his head to the side, signaling where Katara should dive and she understood, responding with the slightest of nods.

Coldly, Zuko retorted, his eyes meeting Jet's, "So says the guy holding an innocent girl hostage and storming a palace full of innocent people. Seems like you're a hypocrite."

"It's different," Jet retorted roughly.

"Yeah? How?"

"You and your disgusting Fire Nation people deserve it!"

The Fire Nation Prince crept his way closer to the angry Freedom Fighter, who tensed and almost tightened his hold on Katara again. Zuko froze and his breath hitched in his chest. He clenched his jaw, trying to do away with the worry and anxiousness that suddenly engulfed him, staring at the glinting hook sword being swung around by the pathologically angry intruder who was holding his… who was holding Katara.

Zuko's mind bounced back and forth in confusion. Why _did_ he care?

His eyes darted back to Katara and even though she had even less of an opening to move out of the way than before, she gave him a look of confidence, nodding. He sighed and lowered himself into a defensive stance, his face relaxing into an impassive mask, raising his fists again. Zuko roared angrily and took a step forward, his back arm thrusting forward roughly, a stream of fire coming from his knuckles, straight for Jet.

Katara bit down on the hand over her mouth and Jet yelled, retracting his hand from her as if _she_ was the one to throw fire at him. Katara took this second of freedom to dive to the floor, slamming into the hard wall. She whipped her head around and watched as Jet threw his arms across his chest to block the onslaught of fireballs, sliding back from the brute force. Zuko broke through the flames he threw and reached behind his back into a sheath that Katara hadn't noticed was strapped onto his back.

He pulled out dual Dao blades and skillfully arced the swords at Jet, the blades' edges shining dangerously. Zuko's cloak billowed around his swirling form gracefully, as if Zuko was dancing. Katara's eyes were entranced by him— she corrected herself. He _was _dancing. With every quick jab and swipe Jet made, Zuko gracefully dodged the hook swords and moved the Dao blades in harmonic motion, his body completely in tune with his weapons. It reminded Katara of the grace and elegance that she often felt when she was Waterbending. She also didn't know much about Firebending, but wasn't the style supposed to be much more abrupt?

Zuko blocked every blow Jet attempted and was swift in finding and aiming for any openings that Jet left. As if he were reading Katara's mind, and needed to prove her wrong, Zuko now incorporated Firebending into his moves, each arc of the blades intensified by heat and flame, still keeping up the grace he had before.

Katara held her forearm over her face as she felt a particularly blazing lick of fire soar over her. When she lowered it, she was shocked to find the two teenagers quickly maneuvering down the hallway. Though Zuko appeared to be a formidable opponent, she saw that Jet was more than capable himself— he was quick, and nimble, as well. She watched him bend back and swing one of his swords at Zuko simultaneously, a blow that Zuko narrowly dodged.

As the two disappeared, Katara ran to follow them into the open courtyard, ignoring her conscience screaming at her to turn the other way and find Sokka. The square was now filling up, the surrounding halls full of guards and Fire Lord Ozai's concubines whose rooms were located nearby. With swift movements, Zuko was able to sheathe his Dao blades behind his back and rotate his body to avoid Jet's blow before turning back around to throw his fist out, a stream of fire leaving his knuckles to head straight for Jet, who leapt out of the way, only to be knocked back roughly to the ground with a hard kick to the chest.

Jet groaned and rolled over, quickly getting to his feet. "Bastard!" he coughed out. He and Zuko stood in a stare down, each boy glaring at each other fiercely through narrowed eyes. A smirk appeared on Jet's face and Zuko raised an eyebrow.

Before Zuko could do anything, Jet's eyes flitted over to where Katara stood, her eyes widening as she registered the thought passing through Jet's mind. As if he were watching in slow motion, Zuko was helpless to watch Jet make a quick movement, attacking Zuko with quick blows until they rotated around so that Jet was now closer to Katara, until he wrapped an arm around her once more.

"Don't worry, Katara. I've got this under control," he whispered.

"Somehow, I really doubt that," she snapped back.

"Prince Zuko."

Katara tensed at the cold voice and, like everyone else except for Zuko, turned her attention to the tall, intimidating man standing at the other end of the courtyard. His long, dark hair looked like ink dripping down his back, in sharp contrast to the shiny gold of the five pronged flame-shaped ornament used to fasten his hair into a topknot. Fire Lord Ozai sneered at his son, glaring at Zuko with contempt.

"What are you waiting for? You've let this mongrel live long enough. Finish him."

Katara turned back to Zuko, gulping nervously. She watched how there was the slightest change in the set of his mouth, the hard line almost dropping into a frown. She struggled against Jet's arms that bound her like iron chains. _'His father wants to roast us alive? Prince Zuko… Please… don't.'_

"Don't worry about the whore. I can get you another one."

Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed into slits as the cobalt orbs sent daggers at the Fire Lord. She felt Jet's hold on her loosen and she fought the urge to look up at him in confusion. Instead, she heard him whisper into her ear furtively once more.

"He's going to listen to his father, Katara. Because he doesn't care. None of them do. You'll see that I'm right; that you need to stop feeling pity for them. Don't forget what you're here for— to avenge your mother!"

Katara's next intake of air came in the form of a sharp, audible gasp. She felt eyes on her and her eyes locked with Prince Zuko's golden portals.

"Prince Zuko!"

Zuko flinched at his father's booming voice.

"Do what you are ordered to do! Finish this! You are an embarrassment!" he hissed angrily.

Jet surprised Katara by throwing her to the ground far away from either of them. He looked at her once before turning back to Zuko. "You've got an open shot, now! Take it!"

With an angry roar, Zuko ran towards Jet until moving his leg in circular motion, creating an expanding ring of fire that overcame Jet, who disappeared within the flames. Quickly, the surrounding guards descended on the dissipating ring of fire, expecting the intruder to be trapped, only to have him immediately attack and leap onto the short roof, swinging himself up and running along it until getting to the wall that he had climbed over earlier, disappearing out of palace grounds.

The palace guards swarmed to the wall and in the confusion over Jet, Katara was seemingly unnoticed and ran back into the palace, now remembering to search for Sokka. She ran blindly through the halls, unable to hear the shouts of her name behind her from Asha.

Zuko stood, immobile, staring after her disappearing form. He ground his teeth and clenched his jaw before running after her. He didn't see how the expression on his father's face darkened and how Ozai's lips pursed into a hard line, his golden eyes glowering at his son's back.

Katara whipped her head behind her nervously to see if she was being followed and when she looked forward again, she fell backwards after crashing into someone. She got up hurriedly and made to rush past when her upper arm was grabbed. In anger, she forgot herself and did a move that Suki taught her from when she trained on Kyoshi Island— something that a peasant girl supposedly from the colonies wouldn't know.

Katara moved, allowing the arm to follow her body, even when Katara moved behind the perpetrator and swiveled out of his grasp, gripping tightly onto his arm that was now twisted behind his back.

"Katara, it's me!"

With a huge sigh of relief, all the tension vanished from Katara's face, the scowl giving way to an expression of exhaustion. "Oh, Sokka. Did you get everything? Jet… he completely ruined everything!"

"Yeah, I know," Sokka replied darkly. "I passed a bunch of people in the hallway clamoring about the showdown between Prince Zuko and some new intruder." He reached into the inside of his shirt and pulled out folded up pieces of parchments with the Fire Nation seal on them. "I grabbed what I could. Since Jet couldn't seem to stay away from you, _like he should_, I had to get out of there sooner than I thought and—"

Sokka held up a mocha colored hand and nodded towards the hallway Katara just came from. She suppressed the urge to groan. Another person sneaking up behind her when she was discussing treason against the Fire Lord? Great.

Sokka silently pointed down another hallway and backed away when Katara nodded in understanding. She watched him disappear into the dimness and waited for whoever was coming to arrive, sliding down the wall of the hallway, and resting her forehead on her knees. She could feel the presence of the other person but didn't lift her head until she sensed that he or she was hovering over her. Meekly, Katara looked up and saw Zuko stare at her with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Come on," he ordered gruffly. He held out an ivory-skinned hand and Katara took it with slight reservation, but the contact was only for an instant as he let go of her hand as soon as she stood. He clenched his jaw and kept his hands tightly fisted at his sides.

Looking down, Katara apologized, "I'm sorry, I—"

"I understand. You must be tired… I'll take you to your room."

Without another word, he strode off and Katara stared dumbly at him. She sighed and followed after him quietly, hurrying to match his stride. She felt his stare on her and fought the urge to look up at him. Possibly, but she couldn't be sure, she thought she heard him sigh and then noticed he slowed down, making the pace easier for her shorter legs to match. They were so close but he was always careful to keep distance between them.

Zuko stopped in front of a pair of doors that Katara recognized to be the ones that led to his bedroom and continued to where hers was located before she froze, realizing that she had locked it from the inside when she snuck out with Sokka earlier.

Of course, Prince Zuko didn't miss this. His hand was on the doorknob and he was staring at her peculiarly. "What's the problem?" he snapped.

Turning around, Katara's mind tried to come up with an acceptable excuse. "I'm… I can't be by myself." He raised an eyebrow at her and she took that to mean _'And what the hell am I supposed to do?'_

Feeling the heat rise to her cheeks, she asked, "Could I maybe stay with you for the night? Just tonight, I swear! By tomorrow, I'll be in my room." Without waiting, she already started walking back towards him but slowed down when she saw no change in his expression. "…Or maybe I could just suck it up."

"Fine. You can have the bed."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to—"

"Just take the bed," he interrupted, frustrated and obviously annoyed. He opened the door and held it open for her before walking in and closing the door behind them. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed several servants watch the mysterious, blue-eyed girl walk into his bedroom and fought a groan. He slammed the door closed and saw that Katara had did what he told her to and was already asleep on the bed.

Just like the previous night, she was on the side closest to the open window, facing the moonlight that drifted in. Her coffee colored hair was splayed around her in messy waves and her face was relaxed, her lips slightly parted as she rested her hand on one arm, cradling the other in her chest as she laid on her side. Zuko found himself entranced by the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed and the peace and relaxation of her sleeping position.

Shaking his head, he took off the cloak he wore and changed out of the robes into a pair of training pants, sans shirt. He also took out the hairpiece keeping his black hair up in a neat knot, allowing the shaggy locks to fall into his eyes.

Repeating the process from the previous night, he took note of how her sleep was slightly disrupted by the tremors of her still exposed body. He draped the blankets and his cloak over her, watching how she seemed to fall into a deeper sleep at the sudden warmth. Intrigued, he inhaled and exhaled deeply, concentrating his inner heat into his palms and lightly ran his warmed hands from her shoulder to her hand. Katara sighed happily in her sleep and Zuko nearly jumped, in fear that she had woken up.

Seeing that she was still asleep, he continued warming her arm for a few more minutes and decided that he should go to sleep, as well. He had heard his father perfectly and could feel the glare on his back as he chased after Katara. He would get it tomorrow.

But for now, he was content to climb onto his bed, keeping himself turned away from the puzzling girl that slept less than two feet away from him… with soft brown hair and enchanting sapphires for eyes… and smooth, tan skin that traveled down her body in soft curves…

He cursed and tried to ignore his body in order to go to sleep.

* * *

Sika and Sato looked up at their great-grandmother from their beds with heavy eyelids. Sika fought a yawn while she asked, "What happened next, Gran-Gran? Did Daddy get away? How was Aunt Katara going to get back into her room?"

"A little mystery is healthy," Kanna replied cryptically. "It's late and your parents would be very mad if they knew that I had allowed the two of you to stay up _this_ late. I think it's time that you stopped stalling."

With another yawn, Sika shook her head. "I want to find out what happened next," she insisted tiredly.

"And Mom always sings us to sleep," Sato pointed out. "We can't sleep without her."

"Oh, I think you can."

There was a soft knock on the door and it creaked open slowly. Pakku stood up but he stopped short when the intruder walked into the room carefully. Sika and Sato sat up in their beds and stared wide eyed at the shadow figure in their room.

A soft, feminine voice whispered, "I'm sorry. No one was answering the front door and I heard voices coming from in here. Sokka sent me on ahead to check up on the kids. I have to head back by tomorrow though."

"Mom?"

The figure stepped into the pale light of the candle and revealed long, dark brown hair and blue eyes instead of the short, auburn hair and green eyes that Suki had. Katara smiled sadly at them. "I'm afraid not." Her lips pursed and she put her hands on her hips. "Now why are you two still awake?"

Sato sighed and flopped backwards into his bed, groaning.

Sika bit her lip sheepishly. "Gran-Gran was telling us the story of how you were the hero that stopped the war and how you fell in love with—"

"_That_ story?" Katara held a hand to her forehead. "Gran-Gran, really? You couldn't just tell them one of the old folk tales you used to tell Sokka and me? You had to give them my life story?" She shook her head and smiled gently at her niece and nephew.

"Okay, listen up. I was _not_ the hero— the Avatar was. Aang did everything. And I didn't fall in—" Katara's eyes shifted towards her grandmother in a glare.

The elderly woman shrugged innocently. "Let an old woman embellish a bit. After all, your life is much more eventful than most."

"Then why embellish in the first place?"

"You had a lot of slow spots," she replied matter of factly, causing Katara to groan.

Turning her attention back to her niece and nephew, she commented, "You guys, it really _is_ late." Katara paused thoughtfully. "How about you go to sleep and tomorrow _I'll_ tell you the story, at least until I have to get back. And you two need to go back to sleep because I'll be returning tomorrow afternoon."

"One more condition!" Sato yelled. "Can you sing us to sleep?"

Katara smiled and sat on the edge of his bed. "Well I can't sing like your mother, but I can try…"

She pat his head affectionately and sang, "Leaves from the vine… falling so slow. Like fragile tiny shells… drifting in the foam. Little soldier boy, come marching home. Brave soldier boy… comes marching home." Seeing that they finally fell asleep, she looked up at her grandparents who were giving her a melancholy smile, understanding too well the song's meaning.

"Poor Iroh," Katara murmured while they walked out of Sika and Sato's room.

Kanna hugged Katara and patted her back softly. "Children are a wonderful gift. I'm sorry parents actually lost children. And that so many of your generation were denied parents who undoubtedly loved you."

"Or worse," Katara replied, "Having parents who _didn't_ love you."

* * *

Zuko kept his facial expression as impassive as possible but that was hard to do when he was being harshly humiliated by his own father. He could feel his self control slipping as his steely mask wavered into one of shame.

The Fire Lord sat on his throne, behind the wall of flames that usually obscured him from everyone seated at the long table before him, though it was just the two of them with the exception of Iroh. He also had a similar mask of blank emotion, though his was much more trained and unwavering.

The prince gulped nervously. He had never noticed just how spacious the throne room was until it was just him and his father, along with his uncle Iroh, who stood by the doors with a stern face. He looked at his younger brother with what resembled disgust and shook his head disapprovingly. Zuko looked back at him before turning front to face his father again.

"Prince Zuko," Ozai began, "Why did you disobey me?"

Zuko's eyes widened but he kept his head bowed before his father. "'Disobey'?"

"Yes, 'disobey'!"

Zuko flinched but he remained silent.

"I ordered you to kill the intruder, did I not? I even gave you a second chance out of the kindness of my heart. But still, you _disobeyed_. Instead, you let the insolent child escape!" he reprimanded. "And for _what_? An insignificant whore? Nothing more than a warm body for you to use for your own needs. A _servant_," he scorned.

Zuko heard a strange sound from behind him and with a quick glance backwards, he saw his uncle's face tense and contort into a furious mask. _'Is he angry at me, too?'_ Zuko couldn't imagine Iroh ever being truly mad at him.

His thoughts were interrupted when Ozai continued to rebuke him, "You were overwhelmed by a simple peasant girl! It would be in your best interest to listen to orders, Prince Zuko. Especially when they come from your father, and more importantly, the Fire Lord."

Zuko nodded, his jaw clenching as he began to rise.

"Sit down! Do not think that this embarrassing incident will go without punishment, Prince Zuko. You will have to pay for your actions. As for that witch, perhaps I'll have her sent to the men. Agni knows that they've been in need of entertainment."

His head snapped up and he stared at his father with wide eyes. Would he really subject Katara, a girl no older than fifteen, the age of his own _daughter_, to rape and abuse? "You can't be serious," he whispered.

Apparently not hearing his son, or ignoring him, Ozai continued, "She's obviously hindering you— becoming a distraction."

"You won't hurt her."

"And who's going to stop me? _You_?" he sneered.

Zuko's hands were clenched at his side, the fingers curled into tight fists. He kept his head down, shielding his father from the murderous look in his eyes. "You won't hurt her," he repeated. Zuko braced himself for the sharp reprimand that would come from his father, but was interrupted by a guard who rushed in, hastening his motions as he bowed.

"My lord, I'm sorry to interrupt—"

"Then leave."

"I'm sorry, but I have urgent news from the eastern regiments. He sent a messenger hawk from his location in the Earth Kingdom colonies and he requires your aid in handling an uprising. The letter was dated two days ago."

"Impotent idiots!" Fire Lord Ozai seethed in his throne for several moments before ordering, "Bring in my best generals."

"They've already been alerted, my lord."

"Then get out of my sight!" he snarled.

The guard nodded and quickly gave a bow before backpedaling out of the room. Iroh, having heard everything, stepped forward and took his seat at the long table. He stared at Zuko, whose tense composure had not vacillated. Instead, Zuko gave his uncle a hard look before turning his gaze away.

Several, uncomfortable minutes of silence passed before middle-aged, goateed and/or mustachioed men walked into the throne room separately, each taking their seat at their delegated place at the table. Some held maps, supply lists, or other information. All of them looked agitated. Then, the doors opened once more and Zuko looked back at his father, who did _not_ appreciate late comers, especially when it was _his_ meeting that was being held.

Instead, the Fire Lord's lips curved into an approving smirk when he saw who came in. Zuko looked back and felt his mouth set into a hard line when he saw his younger sister stride into the silent room with an air of arrogance that was almost tangible in the ambiance. Like their father, she had a similar smirk of cruelty on her lips and she directed it towards Zuko.

* * *

Katara poured tea into three cups meant for her grandparents and herself. Then, while she bent five flavored soup into Sika and Sato's bowls, concluded the next part of the story. "So Ozai threatened his own firstborn son without any sort of emotion. It was as if Zuko was no more than a foot soldier that had disrespected the Fire Lord, instead of the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation."

Katara sat up and straightened her shoulders, raising her eyebrows at Sika and Sato, who stared at her with wide, attentive eyes. Sato seemed to be staring with a particular glint of admiration evident in his eyes.

"That's so cool! This Fire Lord is like an actual bad guy!" he murmured.

Raising an eyebrow at him, Katara reminded him, "I'm sure if you were in Zuko's position, you wouldn't think that it was so cool, Sato. And Fire Lord Ozai was more than a bad guy— he was an evil man whose heart was filled with nothing except cruelty, greed, and hatred."

She watched her young nephew shrug before he hunched over his bowl and began slurping up the stew hungrily while his sister stared at him with raised eyebrows before rolling her eyes and civilly eating her breakfast, the hot broth warming her insides from the frigid air. Katara left them to their meal before putting on her thick parka that she always wore when she went home, taking her tea with her.

"I'll be back when you finish your breakfast and I'll get through as much of the story that I can before I have to leave to get back to Kyoshi Island."

Katara stepped out of the igloo and into the white, snow-covered village, walking absentmindedly along the frozen tundra. She sipped her tea and waved distractedly at whoever greeted her before she stopped at the edge of the ice, where the cold water lapped the glacier's boundary.

'_Sato… you have no idea how horrible Ozai was to Zuko…'_

* * *

Katara groaned when she woke up, shying away from the bright sunlight that filtered in through the ruby colored curtains. Turning over, she gasped when she realized whose bedroom she was in. immediately, she sat up and sighed heavily, smoothing her hands over her head, trying to calm the tangled mess that her hair was.

"Damn Fire Nation humidity…"

She was in the midst of smoothing over the covers of Zuko's bed when, just then, she heard voices coming closer from down the hall and they were increasing in volume. Her hands stilled and Katara snapped her head up in order to stare at the door, doe eyed. The two voices appeared to be masculine, but of separate generations— young and old. And one, the younger voice to be specific, seemed to be incensed.

"Prince Zuko!"

"What?"

"Prince Zuko, you are not acting wisely! You are too proud," Iroh admonished. "You cannot hide your shame behind your arrogance. Pride is the true source of shame. The only antidote to shame is humility."

"And what exactly do I have to be humble about?" Zuko huffed.

"Let go of your anger and embarrassment. Be a man! Honor does not come easily without bitter work. My brother's punishment will be cruel but in the end, you will come out better for it," Iroh counseled sagely.

Scoffing, Zuko and his uncle seemed to have stopped walking. Katara guessed that Iroh had said the wrong thing and Zuko stopped short. She was right when she heard the familiar roaring sound of flames rushing through the air and she was able to attribute the impulsive Firebending to the hot headed personality of Prince Zuko.

"Did Grandfather Azulon ever disgrace you like that? In front of the entire congregation of the Fire Nation's most important military and political figures? Were you considered inferior to your little sister in front of them?"

Katara had subconsciously moved away from the half made bed and towards the door, gently pressing her fingertips against the cold surface of the golden doors. She inclined her head so that she could also brush her ear against the door to hear better.

"I don't have time for your proverbs, Uncle!"

Katara stifled a gasp and jumped away from the door when she heard how loud Zuko's voice suddenly became. Apparently, the young Firebender was also able to move stealthily. There was a click and the doorknob began to sound as if it were being turned. Katara ran backwards and leapt into the bed, deliberately trying to mess it up while she tried to give the appearance that she was still deeply asleep.

The door slammed close and forgetting herself, she gasped and jumped up, her hair having now returned into the tangled mess it was before and her chest rising and falling quickly with her increased breathing. Katara tried to tell herself that she probably would have woken up like that anyway if she _was_ sleeping.

Zuko looked at her with a peculiar expression before it quickly disappeared, only to be replaced by the angry expression Katara expected had been on his face ever since his whole 'disgrace' deal with his father and Azula he was yelling about.

Gruffly, he apologized, "Sorry about waking you up."

"It's fine," she mumbled. She looked around her nervously, feeling the intensity of his amber eyes trained on her. "I'll leave if you want." Katara jumped out of the bed quickly and hastily smoothed over the covers once more and fluffed the pillows nicely before she turned back to Zuko, who still looked at her with an unfathomable expression.

Looking as if he wanted to say something, Katara stood still, feeling like a fool while she blushed under his gaze. There was still a bit of an edge to his voice, but the overall tone was kind and patient when Zuko told her, "You don't have to. I'm sorry for disturbing you while you slept."

"No! After all, it's your room…" Katara's voice trailed off uncertainly and the two teens stood awkwardly.

A knock on the door was heard and before Zuko gave his permission for whoever was on the other side of the door to enter, the door opened and Katara had a clear view of the tall, thin young woman whose countenance was far from pleased, her narrow eyes even smaller as the golden orbs glared at Katara strongly, taking in the younger girl's disheveled appearance and the messy bed. Her sharp, pointed features became even more prominent as her anger increased.

"Zuko, I—"

Hearing the familiar voice and seeing the change in Katara's expression and posture, Zuko turned around and raised his eyebrows in surprise when he saw the tall, pale noblewoman standing in the entrance to his room. "Mai."

She directed her glare from Katara to her boyfriend. "Zuko? What's going on here?" she snapped. "I thought that we were going to spend the day together, especially since our time together yesterday was cut short. You said we would talk today and then Azula told me that you might be in your room sulking after the meeting…"

Mai's eyes darted from Zuko to Katara and back to Zuko, with a hint of accusation in them. "But I guess you were already starting to get over it."

With a low growl, Zuko warned, "Mai…"

"Whatever. If you're busy with _her_, then I'll just go hang out with Azula and Ty Lee." Mai turned and made her way out of the door, her arms folded within the large bell sleeves that often hid her knives. She stopped and rotated her neck ninety degrees towards Zuko's direction while her eyes were downcast. "Actually, like you, Ty Lee has been more interested in the little peasant. Maybe you should send her over when you're done."

Sighing, Zuko called out for her. "Mai. Just wait and listen—" He followed her through the doorway and stood in the hallway. "Mai!"

"Whatever, Zuko. I'm tired of this," Mai droned back.

Katara held a hand to her chest to hold on to the pendant that usually lay in the hollow in her throat, a motion she usually did when she felt distressed. However, she lowered it slowly when she realized that she no longer wore her mother's betrothal necklace, as had been the case for the past few weeks. She looked out of the room's only window, staring enviously at the empty garden, wanting to be outside and free of the angry environment inside the palace.

"I think I should leave."

"Yes. You should," he replied curtly. Zuko walked back and noticed where Katara's attention was. "You should get yourself cleaned up and have some breakfast. If you don't mind…"

He held out a strong arm, extending it to the open door and Katara got the hint. She bowed quickly towards Zuko who nodded impatiently and then shut the door as soon as she left, the loud sound causing Katara to flinch before she walked down the hallway and found her way into the garden. Hoping that Zuko wouldn't notice her from his window, she found her window and climbed up over the ledge and into her room, finally unlocking the door with an exasperated sigh.

"Hopefully now I can stay in my own room tonight," she muttered bitterly. Katara yawned and stretched her arms above her head, feeling a wave of dizziness flood through her head. "Hopefully I can eat some food, now. No more late nights for at least a week…"

She walked into the only unexplored door in her room and was overcome with relief to see that it was a decently sized bathroom that had everything her hygienic personality demanded. Katara felt herself smile as she saw that similar bottles of fragrances and body oils were lined on the side of her tub, like Asha's. Eagerly, she let the tub fill with water and poured in several of the bath oils, whose aroma mixed with the steam floating up from the tub, allowing the scent to spread throughout the room and through the open door into her bedroom.

Removing the small amount of fabric that covered her body, Katara settled herself into the tub, happily using her Waterbending to swirl the perfumed water around her body and over her head so that it soaked into her skin and hair. She lowered herself to lay at the bottom at the tub before surfacing with a deep, relaxed breath, her dark hair plastered to her head, the usually unruly waves held down by the comforting weight of her element.

Katara was immersed by the relaxation and calm that the water gave her, soothing her stress away. A frown found its way onto her face when she realized that she should get out of the water, noticing her fingers become pruny. With a heavy sigh, Katara rose out of the water to reach for the towel laid out on a nearby chair. She reached out a tan arm, the appendage glistening with dripping water, and grunted as she stretched to get it. Her fingertips just brushed the soft white material when she heard a foreign sound.

Looking up, Katara let out a shriek and threw herself back into the tub, submerging herself into the water that was steadily becoming shallow as the tub drained. She tried covering herself with her arms while she yelled, "What are you doing?"

She heard stammering and waited impatiently for a response. "What? Do you get off on sneaking up on people in the bathroom?"

There was the sound of the door closing and Katara crept her head up from the bottom of the marble tub, her oceanic eyes suspiciously peeking over the edge. She saw that the bathroom door was indeed closed and harrumphed satisfactorily as she hurriedly wrapped the towel around herself. She growled quietly when she remembered that her clothes were in the bedroom and that she inconveniently forgot to bring them into the bathroom with her.

Katara opened the door, one hand keeping the towel secure around her and the other placed on her hip. She raised her eyebrows when she saw Zuko standing in her room, his back to her. She could still feel the heat of a blush on her cheeks from embarrassment and anger. Katara snatched her clothes from the armoire and hurriedly changed into them.

There was a mumble from across the room and Katara knit her eyebrows at Zuko's back. She took in his appearance and saw that this was the first time that she had seen him out of formal wear— usually he wore either robes or armor. He was wearing dark red, of course. But he wore simple clothes; a shirt with sleeves that ended at his elbows and loose pants that were neatly tucked into his boots that came up to his calves.

"I'm sorry?"

"I said I was sorry. I wasn't trying to… _peek_ at you. I saw that the bathroom door was open and I just assumed you were in there washing your hands or something… People usually just close the door when they're doing something that they don't want others to see."

Katara put both hands on her hips and glared at Zuko. "People also usually knock before entering a room," she retorted.

Zuko turned around and looked back at her, returning her glare, though like Katara, his cheeks were slightly pink. _'I don't understand why I'm blushing so much… like a little kid! It's not as if I haven't seen a naked girl before… and I— aren't I _supposed_ to look at her like… Ugh, shut up, Zuko.' _He took in her appearance. He liked the glow of her skin caused by the miniscule water droplets and how her hair was messy but still kept its waves, as if she had just come back from a day at the beach.

'_That's not such a bad idea.'_

"Hello? Prince Zuko?" Katara impatiently waved a hand at him in annoyance. "What is it that you want?" Katara saw him turn back at look out the window. She suggested, "Do you want to talk out there?"

Zuko looked back at her and repeated dumbly, "'Talk'?"

Raising her eyebrows, Katara nodded. "Yeah, 'talk'. You know, what we're doing right now?"

Zuko hesitated. She actually wanted to listen to him talk? No one wanted to listen to the complaints or as they called it, whining, of a spoiled Fire Nation Prince. No one except maybe his Uncle Iroh, whose proverbs, comments, and explanations he found to be thoroughly irritating. Mai usually tuned out and was disinterested with whatever he had to say. Katara seemed to actually be willing to listen.

"Yes, I'd like to talk with you."

"Okay then." She gave him a friendly smile and led the way out of the door and into the garden that she understood was created by Zuko's mother. Katara let him lead her towards a pond with a family of turtle ducks and sit down by the pond's edge, underneath the shade of a nearby tree. Katara sat next to him, enjoying the coolness of the shade. He pulled out a piece of bread and began throwing it at the small creatures.

Gently, she took the bread from him and pulled it apart, keeping the small pieces in her hands and holding her palms out by the edge of the pond. The turtle ducks timidly came forward before happily nibbling at the food from her hands. Zuko's eyes widened as he was hit by a wave of nostalgia. He remembered his own mother gently chastising him for his roughness with the turtle ducks and showing him how to feed them.

Katara dipped her hands into the water before drying them off inconspicuously with her bending. She asked, "So what is it that you wanted to talk with me about?" She brushed her hand over her forehead, wiping away the sweat that was building up. It was afternoon now, and the sun was high in the sky, shining its hot rays on her.

"I wanted to warn you actually…" Zuko whispered. He watched Katara's cerulean orbs widen in panic. He explained, "My father isn't exactly happy with me and I wouldn't put it past him to include you in his anger."

"Why? I don't understand."

"My father's never really been that proud of me. That whole incident last night with that intruder and you— he's not too happy about how I acted."

"You mean mercifully? Honorably? Did he really expect you to have killed me?" Katara shook her head in disgust. "For what it's worth, I'm proud of how you acted, Prince Zuko. And not just because I ended up not being roasted," she joked.

Her face fell slightly. "But what about you?"

Zuko shook his head and lowered it, letting his shaggy hair falling into his eyes. "There has to be punishment, retribution for my dishonorable acts and for my disobedience against my father, my Fire Lord." He chuckled darkly and leaned back against the trunk of the tree.

Zuko rolled his eyes at the sky. His voice took on a lower register and he was able to eerily imitate his father's cold, malicious tone. "'Prince Zuko, you have shamed me as a son and as a follower in failing to follow orders. You were given clear instructions and you chose to disobey. You instead acted proudly and wrongly. This will not go on without punishment.' After that, we were interrupted by an emergency war meeting, but as soon as it ended… Let's just say that I didn't act to his liking during the meeting, as well."

"What did your father say?"

"'After the warning I gave you, you continue to embarrass and insult me with your behavior. You will _not_ speak out of turn during a meeting in _my_ presence. You will show respect at all times, to all elders. You are an abomination— a failure! I swear to you, by my return, you will pay dearly for your insubordination and learn some respect! _Pain_ _and_ _suffering_ will be your masters.'"

"That's horrible," Katara empathized. Zuko looked up at her with inexplicable emotions swirling around in his eyes.

Zuko shrugged indifferently. He snorted and turned his head away from Katara's compassionate gaze. He yelled, "I don't want your pity! I can take care of myself. I haven't ever had a real parent. I've known how to be responsible for my actions for a long time. To understand that mistakes have to be paid for."

"So saving me was a mistake?" Katara's voice sounded weaker than before and she seemed to be breathless.

"No, that's not what I meant!" Zuko looked back at Katara with contrition in his ocher eyes. Katara's skin was shiny with sweat and the russet color seemed to be flushed with redness. He knit his eyebrows at her before he looked away once more. "I just meant, I know that I did the wrong thing… _again_. That I'm a horrible son, a horrible prince. But I'm going to try and make up for my failure."

He was surprised at the silence that hung in the air between them and he turned back to her. "Katara? Katara!" His eyes widened when he saw her laying in the grass, her breathing shallow and quick. Zuko rushed to her side and felt her skin which was warm to the touch and felt her neck, surprised at the weak pulse. "Shit… it must be the heat."

Immediately, he took her into his arms and dipped her into the cool water of the pond in order to provide her with some sort of way to counteract her elevated body temperature while he rushed back into the palace.

'_How can such a small, insignificant girl cause me this much trouble?'_

* * *

**Acknowledgements:**

**Whatever-life24:** Really? You enjoyed the Jetara? Not that I mean anything by it— it's just I could tell I was making a very unattractive face as I was writing it, haha. But hey, everyone's open to their own opinion, right? Thanks so much for the review, especially since it came from out of left field from what I was expecting :)

**Besanii-Chan:** What a lovely review! Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much your compliment means to me. I try very hard to reread and reread everything I've written, although I am not infallible and miss some things… which irks me to no end. I hope you're just as satisfied by this update! :)

**Mina34: **Yay, long chapters! Well, personally, I always get frustrated when I can't scroll down any longer— so I understand your enthusiasm and thank you for it! Sokka… I couldn't let anything bad happen to him. I'd want to strangle myself. And I'm actually still quite new to this fandom so I was recently shocked by the number of captive/arranged marriage/slavery Zutara stories and I felt a little bad about writing _another_ one when there are surely better ones out there. But your words of encouragement help me get through it :)

Oh and as a side note, I just want to clarify that when I write and characters curse and mention subjects that are totally inappropriate for children that are Sika and Sato's ages (about eight and six, respectively) I totally do NOT imagine Kanna or Katara saying what I write verbatim to the kids. Spirits help me if I did. As I showed with the difference between how Ozai actually warned Zuko and Katara's narration of how he threatened him, I tried to portray that the story is very much so watered down for the kids when Kanna and Katara tell it. However, you lucky readers get all the details.

Please read, review, and wonder, of course ;) It's all simple math, really.


	6. The Honesty

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs purely to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Chapter 5: The Honesty

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**Summary: **As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Watxer Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty and life, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

_Last Time…_

_Zuko shrugged indifferently. He snorted and turned his head away from Katara's compassionate gaze. He yelled, "I don't want your pity! I can take care of myself. I haven't ever had a real parent. I've known how to be responsible for my actions for a long time. To understand that mistakes have to be paid for."_

_"So saving me was a mistake?" Katara's voice sounded weaker than before and she seemed to be breathless._

_"No, that's not what I meant!" Zuko looked back at Katara with contrition in his ocher eyes. Katara's skin was shiny with sweat and the russet color seemed to be flushed with redness. He knit his eyebrows at her before he looked away once more. "I just meant I know that I did the wrong thing… again. That I'm a horrible son, a horrible prince. But I'm going to try and make up for my failure."_

_He was surprised at the silence that hung in the air between them and he turned back to her. "Katara? Katara!" His eyes widened when he saw her lying in the grass, her breathing shallow and quick. Zuko rushed to her side and felt her skin which was warm to the touch and felt her neck, surprised at the weak pulse. "Shit… it must be the heat."_

_Immediately, he took her into his arms and dipped her into the cool water of the pond in order to provide her with some sort of way to counteract her elevated body temperature while he rushed back into the palace._

'How can such a small, insignificant girl cause me this much trouble?'

* * *

He dashed into his room and started pulling off the layers of clothing that she wore— much too much for this kind of weather. He supposed that it was her way of covering up after all of the exposure her previous outfits provided. Zuko froze, not wanting to disrobe her and then have a naked Katara in his bedroom. Or even a semi-naked Katara, for that matter. After recent events, he was sure that he was destined to hear an earful when she woke up… _if_ she woke up.

In exasperation, Zuko slapped his palm to his face and groaned. He knew that he had to get her to cool down, but how could he do it without her yelling his ears off? Zuko picked Katara back up and reached for the door leading back into the hallway but hesitated. Even though everyone knew what Katara was to him and what exactly Ozai brought her to the palace for, Zuko still felt uncomfortable being seen in this sort of predicament.

Zuko did not want to be seen carrying the sleeping girl in his arms to her room. He turned back around and stared at his room as if it could magically show him how to move Katara without any servants or guards seeing the two of them. Then, it seemed like his room _did_ show him. On the far wall, he saw it, having long forgotten about it since he assumed he would never have any use for it. Zuko rolled his eyes, silently thanking Agni that Fire Lords had a tradition of being unfaithful bastards. Still carrying the unconscious girl, Zuko managed to hold her steady while opening his armoire, pushing his clothes off to the side. He unlocked the hidden door that was accessed through a false back in his armoire, opening a panel in the wall of Katara's adjacent room, the door's seams hidden stealthily in the wall. He widened the opening so that he could fit through and passed through sideways before carefully putting Katara on the bed and pressing the door back into the wall, the seams nearly hidden once more.

There, in Katara's room, Zuko rummaged through her armoire to pull out clothes made out of a lighter fabric that did not cover up a lot of her body, the exposure allowing her skin to cool off. Then, as best he could, he removed her clothes until she was left in her bindings— all while squinting, though that did not seem to impede the blush that crept up on his cheeks. Still squinting his eyes, Zuko attempted to pull on the other clothes through his limited eyesight. When he was satisfied that he did as much as he could concerning her clothes, he hurried into the bathroom and filled a small bowl with cool water and took several towels, dipping them in the water before he returned to the bedroom to place the towels at various places on her body— her forehead, her neck, her armpits, her hands, and her lower abdomen. He panicked when Katara continued to lie there with her eyes closed but upon touching her, he realized, with relief, that her body temperature was much cooler than before and that her pulse was slowing down and strengthening.

Zuko felt his jaw clench and he stuck his head out of the door and looked around helplessly in the hallway, waiting for a servant or guard to walk by. He looked out of Katara's window and saw his Uncle sipping tea underneath a tree, sighing happily at the hot beverage. Zuko resisted another urge to have his palm meet his face again and called out the window in a hiss, "Uncle! Uncle!"

Iroh did not appear to hear him and Zuko growled through his teeth when he watched the Dragon of the West continue to close his eyes contently, affectionately holding the small porcelain cup while he rubbed his large stomach. Slamming the shutters of the window shut, Zuko turned back to Katara. He examined her face for any signs of distress before he sulked, sitting down on the edge of the bed, his back to her. He noticed the tray of food placed on her bedside table and frowned when he saw that she had not eaten much of it. Come to think of it, he had not seen her eat much of anything. _'Well that explains the heat exhaustion… she's probably dehydrated, as well.'_

Reaching for a cup, he pulled the pitcher of water towards him and poured it before turning around to face her again. The question was as to how he was supposed to give Katara any food or water while she was unconscious. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed slight movement. Gently, he lifted her upper body up and observed, and with a sudden release of his anxiety, that her eyes slowly fluttered open, allowing him a glimpse of two sapphires for eyes that had begun to be more and more familiar to him. His heart slightly sank, though, when he saw that the dark lashes framing her eyes were quivering as her eyelids closed once more. Zuko internally groaned until he felt Katara tense in his arms before sitting upright by herself and pull away from him slowly, one hand holding the wet towel to her forehead, the other squarely placed on his chest as she moaned in disorientation.

She was able to open her eyes again, this time without any wavering, and Katara looked over herself, noticing the lighter clothes and cold towels placed over her body. Katara looked at Zuko meekly, nodding at him and murmuring, "Thank you, Prince Zuko."

Zuko nodded gruffly in return but he felt the warming sensation in his face as blood pooled in his cheeks. He roughly handed her the cup of water he still held in his other hand and the swift movement caused a generous amount of the water to spill out. Katara gave him a small smile and raised a hand before stopping herself. Zuko threw her a strange look and noticed she had an unreadable expression on her face— a mixture of annoyance, relief, and shock. Then as quickly as the moment happened, she took the water as if nothing happened, the unusual expression replaced by one of weariness. He looked away and Katara released the breath she had been holding. She was so stupid! She almost used her Waterbending!

Gesturing to the tray of breakfast on her bedside table, Zuko suggested quietly, "You should eat something. That's probably why you fainted in the first place." Considering the fact that they were having a civil conversation that did not have either participant screaming, he sighed in relief and let his shoulders slump, releasing the tension in his muscles. He shifted his eyes towards her direction, watching her while she gulped down the glass of water with her eyes closed in concentration.

Katara's cheeks turned rosy, but nevertheless, she stretched her arm towards the tray and reached for a steamed bun and began chewing at the edges uncomfortably. Both Katara and Zuko turned away from each other and Zuko cleared his throat awkwardly. She glanced at him and sighed in frustration, her lips pursing and her eyebrows raised.

Zuko shot her a look and muttered glumly, "What do you have to be so upset about?"

"Wow. Ty Lee was right. You and Mai _are_ perfect for each other," Katara retorted before biting into the bun. Zuko noticed that her bites were becoming bigger and was glad that her appetite was returning. Unfortunately, it also meant that her cheekiness was also making a comeback, evident by her last comment. Only receiving an irritated glare in response, Katara rolled her eyes and continued, "Oh come on, lighten up! I was just teasing. Did you eat breakfast?"

"No, I didn't, _mother_," Zuko snapped. Immediately, Zuko regretted his words when he felt the familiar ache of emptiness stab his chest and he glared angrily out of the window until he noticed Katara's silence. Warily, he looked back at her and saw an echo of his inner turmoil etched onto her face, her small hand poised at the hollow of her throat, a motion that seemed to make it worse for the blue eyed girl when her fingers brushed the exposed skin. When she cast her cobalt eyes in his direction, he was grateful that they were not spilling over with tears, but they still held a world of pain.

"You want to know what I'm upset about?" she asked enigmatically. "Maybe it's the fact that I'm barely fifteen years old and I've already been without my mother for more than half my life!" she spat out. "Or that instead of having a decent life with my family, I have to play servant to the spoiled Fire Nation Prince!" Her eyes narrowed in disgust before she turned away from Zuko and made to leave. She turned around to glare again at Zuko, this time with saltwater in her eyes. "You have no idea what your stupid nation has done to me. Me _personally_."

Hanging his head, Zuko contradicted her, "I remember what you told me your first night in the palace… and I _can_ imagine what's been done to your family." He felt, rather than saw, Katara freeze at her spot. "In case you haven't noticed, there's no Fire Lady. My father is satisfied with the hordes of women he keeps in the courtyard pavilion. He doesn't want a wife." Zuko's eyes narrowed and he snorted in disgust.

"So… your…" Katara closed her eyes and sighed softly. "You and Azula's mother, then… she was one of— someone like Asha?" Katara stumbled over her words and mentally berated herself for meddling and sounding like an idiot doing it. She bit down on her lower lip while stroking on a long strand of wavy brown hair, tugging on it. Katara could feel the heat in her cheeks and Zuko's eyes on her so she purposefully kept her gaze downward.

"My mother _was_ his wife— Princess of the Fire Nation," Zuko clarified, his tone impassive with a subtle undercurrent of grief. He shifted uncomfortably in the following silence, his hands forming fists around Katara's sheets. He exhaled forcefully, turning to Katara and said abruptly, "Look, just drop the subject. The only thing I wanted to talk to you about today was that my father might be taking his anger out on you and I'm just warning you."

Zuko stiffened when he felt a soft hand alight on his upper arm and he stood up straight, leaving his previous position of being hunched over Katara's bed. His uncaring mask fell and he closed his eyes while shaking his head slowly. Zuko turned back and saw Katara's face, instinctively pulling away, removing himself from her touch. "I told you I don't want your pity!" he snapped.

"I was just— You are such an overindulged, little baby! I wasn't giving you any pity. I was trying to…" Katara shook her head exasperatedly. She did not know _what_ she was trying to do. She sat down on the floor, resting her back against the side of the bed. Katara pulled her knees to her chest and folded her arms on her knees before resting her chin on her forearms. "Oh, spirits," she whispered to herself.

Rolling his eyes at his own lack of tact, Zuko's palm slapped his face and slowly slid down before he joined Katara on the floor, mirroring her position, except he threw his head back so that he stared at the ceiling. "_Now_ what are you upset about? I'm the one that has to be punished. In fact, by the time my father gets back home, you'll probably be forgotten— the furthest thing from his mind. He has more pressing things on his mind, like dealing with his embarrassment of a son." Zuko looked down at the girl and asked again, "So what are you so upset about?"

"He would really punish you?" Katara asked, still looking straight ahead, her voice muffled as the lower half of her face was still pressed against her arms. "But you're his son! His firstborn— the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation."

Chuckling darkly, Zuko replied dismally, "Yeah well my father's the Fire Lord… he can do whatever he wants to _whom_ever he wants." He glanced at Katara again, sighing heavily. "You know, I really _don't_ appreciate having you look at me like that…"

"I'm sor—" Katara began. She was cut off by Zuko's warm hand on top of her forearm. She lifted her head from her knees and raised her eyebrows at him, not used to the contact, unless she was unconscious or he wanted her to do something. But maybe he was opening up… She rolled her eyes. This new touch probably belonged in the second category.

"Stop apologizing. It's annoying." Yup, definitely the second. Zuko pulled his hand away from her arm and Katara blinked at the spot where his hand rested, not used to such warmth from a simple touch and she ignored the tickling feeling she got in her stomach. Katara looked up and met his eyes. The golden orbs were narrowed at her, not menacingly, but as if he were thinking about something. They seemed to scrutinize her gaze and she blushed slightly, not used to such attention. He cocked a dark eyebrow at her and turned away. With a hint of resignation in his voice, he asked, "Would you feel better about the situation if we… talked about it?" Zuko grimaced, marring his handsome face.

Scoffing, Katara replied, "Hey, _you_'_re_ the one who wanted to talk originally." She smirked lightly at him before shaking her head and leaning against the side of her bed, just as Zuko had done minutes ago. "But, I think it _is_ healthier if you talk about what you're thinking. Sometimes, all you need is a really good listener."

"Too bad there aren't any good listeners around."

Katara glared at the side of his head before biting down on the inside of her cheek, proving to him that she could be quiet, even if she _did_ want to reply angrily with one of her sassy, trademark Katara rejoinders, the ones that were usually directed at her brother… ninety-nine point nine percent of the time. Zuko turned towards her with a ghost of a playful smile on his lips.

"What? No cheeky comeback?" he teased. He chuckled lightly at the situation, a deep, husky sound that Katara caused her to feel déjà vu when realized that she actually liked hearing it. It was worlds apart from the boisterous laughing and roaring she usually heard from the men in the Southern or Northern Water Tribes. She sometimes found the sound grating. His quiet laugh was soothing, comforting even. Katara blushed from embarrassment at her thoughts at the same time she scowled at Zuko for teasing her.

"You're avoiding talking," Katara quipped. "You know, the sooner you just start saying whatever's on your mind, the sooner this whole experience will end."

"I could just be telling you whatever I think you want to hear, just to get this over with."

Shrugging, Katara replied smoothly, "You'd only be cheating yourself. But at the same time, I'd appreciate it if you didn't lie to me. I'd appreciate some effort on your part— honesty." Katara stood up, surprising Zuko, but he saw that she only stood to reach for the tray of food and place it in between them before she sat back on the floor. He raised his eyebrows at her but she shrugged once more, explaining, "If you don't want to talk, I can just eat in silence. You're welcome to anything— it _is_ your palace, after all." Katara feigned a gasp. "Wait. Do you need me to be your royal food tester to make sure it's not poisoned? It would be an honor," she drawled, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Katara nonchalantly poured herself another cup of water drinking without a care in the world while Zuko stared at her incredulously. She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes and he saw a playful twinkle in her sky blue pools and noticed her full lips curve up slightly around the rim of her cup as she drank.

Zuko groaned and pursed his lips. "Right, you're just teasing me again. And… I have to lighten up, I know. _I _actually _am_ a good listener." He smirked arrogantly at Katara's indignant expression before his face fell and he ran a hand through his ink colored hair. "So what exactly do you want me to 'be honest with you' about?"

"First of all, drop the attitude. I don't appreciate it. Secondly, talk about whatever comes to mind, even if it's about how annoying you find me or this talk. It'll lead somewhere." Katara returned his skeptical look with a glare. "Trust me."

"I don't know if I can," Zuko murmured, his eyes searching but finding nothing. He felt his teeth grind together and his jaw tightened and clenched. "Your mother… did she love your father? Did she love you?" Katara nodded, the puzzlement evident in her expression. "Your father loved her back, too, didn't he?" Zuko did not have to have Katara verbally or physically respond. He could see it all in her highly expressive eyes that seemed to darken to a cobalt blue as he brought up the topic of her mother. "I'm sorry," he whispered sincerely, "that you and your family had to go through that. The loss of my mother was a different experience from yours."

Katara closed her eyes softly and patiently waited for him to continue, wanting him to move forward at his own pace, to find closure through his own means. Sensing that he needed encouragement, Katara moved the tray of food, putting it on her other side, while she bit down on her lower lip before inching closer to Zuko. Her small, russet colored hand edged slowly towards Zuko's ivory colored hand before she put it on top of his, closing her fingers around his hand and giving a small squeeze. What surprised her was that he did not pull away. Even more surprising was the fact that, slowly, he turned his hand over so that they were palm to palm and for a quick instant, returned the gesture. Once again, Katara marveled at how well their hands fit together. Just like she did when she first met the Fire Nation Prince, she likened the sensation to fitting together the final two pieces of a puzzle.

The heat left her hand once more when he gently pulled his hand out from under hers and Katara did not feel hurt, merely returning her hand to her lap. Zuko cleared his throat before he began. "The reason why I bring it up is because I think the only person I've ever really trusted was my mother. Agni, I miss her."

"I think you've found out what you need to talk about," Katara said gently. Once again, she wrapped her arms around her knees and continued, "It's up to you. I understand that this is personal, but I did say that I'd try and be a good listener."

Giving her wary look that was half skepticism and half suspicion, Zuko gave a curt nod. "My mother's name was Ursa, which I think you already knew from Asha." He paused when he noticed one of Katara's eyebrows tick upwards. "It's my job to know what my servants are doing," he reminded her. "She was Fire Nation nobility and included in all the right circles of society. She ended up marrying my father, but it was an arranged marriage." His eyebrows knit together as he tried to piece together the past. "Still, they were happy… _we_ were happy. The two of them, my parents, they both knew that neither of them actually loved each other. It was just something they had to live with… I remember, when I was younger, we spent every summer at our beach house at Ember Island," he remembered, his tone wistful.

"But they were too different and my father is a jealous man. They ended up growing apart and my father," Zuko's lip curled in distaste, "he wanted nothing but power; power that didn't belong to him, either. He got angrier and angrier and had this _insane_ need to prove he was the best. I guess that's why Azula's his favorite," he sneered.

Katara could not do anything except listen, could not help but be enthralled by Zuko's story. She felt her heart go out to him and while she promised not to pity him, she felt deep sympathy for the Fire Nation prince. He was barely a man, just turned seventeen. At the same time, he has had to grow up, without parents, without real family, without any real notion of what it is like to actually care for someone and have someone care for you. And most of all, she knew exactly what it was like to lose your mother when she was not supposed to be taken away.

"This isn't my original room, you know," he said matter of factly. "Traditionally, the members of the Royal Family stay in another wing, on the other side of the palace. I chose to move here. My other bedroom had too many bad memories. While my father wanted to take my Uncle Iroh's place as heir to the throne, he fought more and more with my mother and blamed her and myself for it because we weren't up to his standards. Not like his 'Firebending prodigy' perfect daughter. No. He had to deal with his failure of a son and the wife who coddled him and showed love and affection towards him. I would wake up in the middle of the night sometimes to hear her begging him to calm down, to take out his frustration on her, never on me." Zuko ducked his head down, resting it on his knees. "Even though I deserved it. Because I wasn't good enough."

Silence engulfed the two teenagers until Zuko exhaled forcefully and continued, with a strained voice, "Sometimes she would come into my room in the middle night, knowing which fights would echo through the walls and wake me up and which fights would stay in their bedroom. My mother still looked out for me, even then. She would hug me and rock me to sleep but I could still hear her frantic whispers. 'Oh Agni. Save him, save him from the hand that he beats me on. Save my son.,'" he said bitterly. "Sometimes he wouldn't stay in that room and would go to the courtyard pavilion and my mother would be safe for the night, only to experience another kind of pain— to suffer the embarrassment of a loveless marriage and have her husband publicly… have it be known that he has a whole hall full of women, along with suffering the brunt of his anger."

Zuko's voice was now just a broken whisper. "Then my cousin, Lu Ten, died. From then on, hell erupted."

* * *

Katara closed her eyes softly, the memories of that night bringing back all sorts of sensations that she hadn't felt in over ten years. She opened them and saw Sika and Sato captivated by her story and saw her grandparents sitting at the small table, seemingly having their own conversation while they drank their tea, but Katara knew better. From the looks on their faces, they heard everything that Katara told her niece and nephew and knowing how much Katara watered it down for them, understood the real depth of the situation.

Kanna rose from her seat and stood over her granddaughter and great-grandchildren who were seated on the fur in front of the fireplace. "I think your Aunt Katara needs some time to herself for a moment. Come with me and we can make some hot chocolate for you two. Sika, you need to help me with your little sister. Sena needs to be changed."

At the mention of hot chocolate, Sato got up eagerly and ran to where Pakku was sitting, badgering him to start boiling the water. Sika, on the other hand, pouted and complained, "But Gran Gran, Aunt Katara was getting to the part where she and Zuko make a connection and realize they fall in love!" She wrinkled her nose. "And I don't want to change Sena!"

"You'll need to learn how to eventually. There's no time like the present. Come on, my little Warrior." Sika brightened slightly at the endearment and followed Kanna into the room where Sena's crib was located, albeit grudgingly.

Katara watched them leave and turned her attention to Sato, who was now sulking over his hot chocolate. "I thought _I_ was Gran Gran's little Warrior," he harrumphed. Pakku raised a wintery eyebrow at him and cast a look at Katara who smiled at her nephew.

"You're both her warriors. The only difference is that Sika is her Kyoshi Warrior, like your mother and you're a Water Tribe Warrior, like your father tried to be." Sika's face fell. "I'm only kidding. Your brother is one of the toughest, bravest warriors ever. You know, when he went ice dodging, he got the Mark of the Wise and _I_ got the Mark of the Brave and he's a _much_ better warrior than I am. I think that if you concentrate on being the smart kid I know you can be, you'll end up just like your dad. Look! You even have your hair styled in a Warrior's Wolf Tail, just like him."

Sato's eyes widened to a size similar to saucers and Katara let out an _oomph_ when Sato tackled her in a death grip hug that she returned wholeheartedly. She rubbed his back affectionately and felt her own eyes widen when Sato got off of her and began grinning while jumping up and down in place. "You're the greatest aunt ever, Aunt Katara!"

Rolling her eyes, Katara saw Kanna and Sika come back, this time with the small two year old in her grandmother's arms. Katara smiled and eagerly took her youngest niece into her own arms, cooing at her. She felt expectant looks on her back and turned around to see Sika and Sato stare at her impatiently, each holding their steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Katara sighed and shifted Sena in her arms. She encouraged them, "Why don't the two of you go outside and play with the other kids? You haven't seen some of them in ages. I promise I won't leave to go back home until I finish telling you this part of the story." Katara held a hand up to silence them. "I'm not going to continue until you go out and play with the other children, at least for a little bit. And I'm leaving this afternoon, so—"Katara raised her eyebrows and winced at the loud boom that reverberated and shook the humble home caused by Sato fervently closing the door behind him and Sika as they ran out to join their voices with the chorus of laughter already outside. Katara sat back down on the fur and put Sena down in front of her, holding onto her waist while the toddler wobbled around her. "She's getting so big… Has it really been this long since I've seen any of you?"

"I'm afraid so, Katara."

Looking up at her grandparents, Katara smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. It's just… the past decade has been such a struggle. I mean, the war is over but there's just been too much… too many memories of the past century. People are reluctant to accept change. I still can't believe that I'm twenty-five years old and I'm still travelling around the world on the back of a sky bison."

"It's for a great cause, Katara. Remember that," Kanna pushed. "Although, I wouldn't mind some grandchildren from you, either, young lady."

Katara gestured to the blue eyed girl in front of her and exclaimed, "And what would you call Sena? And Sika and Sato?"

"I said I wanted some from _you_, didn't I?" the elderly woman retorted, a glimmer of mirth in her weathered eyes. "Sokka and Suki have been able to find time to have kids in the past ten years. I'd like to have some beautiful little Waterbenders from you. Or perhaps—"

"Gran Gran!" Katara blushed but continued, "You know it's much more difficult than that. I mean, like I said— I'm flying all over the world with Toph, Zuko, and Aang. It's not as if time for _those_ sort of activities are easy to come by." Her eyes shifted away and she muttered under her breath, "Or a place."

Pakku visibly tensed and he took a deep breath before taking Sena out of Katara's surprised hands. He coughed uncomfortably. "I'm going to enjoy the snow with my great-grandchild, if you don't mind. And keep her away from the poisonous minds you two have." Kanna and Katara watched the great Waterbending master fuss over Sena as they left the house with its inhabitants each nursing a deeply amused grin.

"Well who would have imagined it? A sour old man like Pakku being done in by a two year old whose vocabulary only includes 'Mommy', 'Daddy', 'Appa', and 'No'… never thought I'd see the day." Katara shook her head in soft laughter. Katara sat in the ensuing silence and turned to her grandmother, aware of the woman's eyes trained on her.

"Katara… I didn't know that Zuko… such a childhood."

Closing her eyes, Katara nodded. "No one knew. I… I was the first one to know, well I suppose besides everyone who lived in the palace to witness it, but I was the first outsider that he ever told. I'm just glad to have been a part of his gaining closure. He's at peace now. He's happy now, I hope. The stress of being Fire Lord gets to him at times; I can tell." Katara sunk backwards, lying down on the warm, soft pelt. "I'm so tired, Gran Gran. I'm just glad to be home. When Suki asked if I could check up on the kids, I was thrilled to be able to get away from it all for a little while. I have to admit, I'm sad to be leaving later."

"Well like I said, my little Waterbender, you're always wanted and welcome here in the Southern Water Tribe."

Katara nodded and continued lying down, secretly wishing that the soft fur she laid on was Appa's side and that the warmth she felt from the nearby fireplace was instead from a pair of familiar arms wrapped around her.

Her moment of rest, however, was rudely interrupted by two energetic and overexcited children who just _had_ to know what happened next in her life. She groaned as she sat up, smoothing away loose strands of hair from her face. For the life of her, Katara could not understand exactly what was so appealing about her life story. After all, they knew the ending, how she ended up. Wouldn't anyone think that that takes away some of the surprise? She stared at the surprisingly attentive children and sighed. Apparently, not if it is a really good story.

* * *

Katara's eyes widened at Zuko's words. She put a hand on his shoulder and reminded him, "You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to."

Zuko stared at her before he replied, "I want to." He nodded to himself as he realized, "I want to tell you because I don't like having to have kept everything a secret. I'm relieved to have someone actually listen to me, even if it's just you." He ignored her offended grunt. "Besides, you wanted me to talk about whatever I want and this is where it's led us. And you want me to be honest and tell you the truth? The only way I can tell you the truth is to tell you everything so that there isn't any misunderstanding about what I'm saying. That at least one other person is going to know exactly what happened all those years ago."

Katara took her hand back and nodded in understanding. Zuko nodded back at her and cast his eyes downward again. "Lu Ten was my older cousin, my Uncle Iroh's son and only child. It was during my uncle's Siege of Ba Sing Se. Frankly, I don't really know _how_ he died. And I don't really want to. It's not exactly something I'm curious about. But Iroh lost Lu Ten and immediately gave up his siege on Ba Sing Se's walls, abandoning the battle completely in order to mourn over his son. It was one of the most devastating losses for him and for the Fire Nation. When we received news of what had happened in the Earth Kingdom, my mother and I were upset of course. My father, on the other hand… he had requested an audience with my grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon. It would be the last time I saw my grandfather alive."

"My grandfather, much like my father, was impatient and demanded to know exactly what his younger son wanted and so my mother, sister, and I left the throne room. That night, my mother woke me up from my sleep and draped me in dark clothes and a heavy cloak. She was wearing one herself. She was hurrying to pack a small bag full of clothes for me and I just stood there, not knowing what she was doing. Then, there was a huge commotion in the hallway. I had never seen my mother with so much fear on her face— in her eyes. She told me to take off my cloak and rush back into my bed and hide, under the covers. She took my bag of clothes and threw it under my bed. After that, she just ran out of my room and closed the door, but I still heard everything. Like I said, I almost always heard their fights."

He took a shuddering breath. "'Stop crying and bring me my son!'… I heard my mom crying even harder at his request and she started begging him. And I wasn't enough of a man to get out from under my covers and just go to him, like he was asking. I stayed right where I was, like a coward!" he hissed resentfully. "I don't remember exactly what happened after that. I think I probably fell asleep again after lying in the darkness, waiting for it to end. But my mom woke me up again and she was so _sad_. She hugged me, said something, and left. And do you know what I did?" Laughing sardonically, he answered, "I went back to sleep! That was the last time I saw her and I didn't even try to stop her! The next morning I woke up and searched for her everywhere. My father wouldn't tell me where she was. Azula told me she disappeared and nobody knew where and that Grandfather Azulon had died that night."

Katara flinched at the volume his voice took. Her thoughts echoed the intentions Ursa had for Zuko all those years ago. _'Tui and La… give him the strength and life you've given me. Save him…'_

Zuko's fists clenched tightly so that his already pale skin turned bone white. He held himself with so much tension that Katara felt he could snap, emotionally and physically, at any time. Helpless in not knowing what to do, she shook her head at him and disagreed, "There was nothing you could have done, Zuko." She braced herself for the explosion and instead held up a hand to keep it at bay. "Really. You talk about how you weren't enough of a man to stop your father from whatever he was planning to stop your mom from leaving, but Zuko you _weren't_ a man. You were just a kid. You need to stop blaming yourself for something that was out of your control."

Zuko did not reply, but Katara saw his body shift slightly and his arms and shoulders relaxed. His head hung down and Katara realized that he was just trying to cope with the situation and emotions that he had repressed for so long. She knew that if it were anyone else, she would be holding her arms open, ready to give them a hug, but she hesitated. First of all, she knew Zuko was not much of a 'hugger' and secondly, in her opinion, not even a 'Katara hug' would be enough to make him feel better right now.

However, surprising enough as it was, it turns out that a hug from Katara would do just fine. Ignoring the fact that he would brush her off, or yell at her with his hotheadedness and quick temper, Katara closed the distance between them to surround his neck and shoulders with her arms and squeeze the prince. The hug was just as she expected— she could liken it to hugging a stone boulder, although a very warm stone boulder, but a boulder nonetheless. What astonished her was that this boulder slowly softened and somewhat leaned into her hold, accepting the touch. Instead of relieving her, Katara's heart broke slightly, knowing that Zuko was really in deep turmoil to have submitted to such a close gesture.

Katara pulled away uncertainly and sat back on her heels, staring down at her hands uncomfortably in the quiet. She was the first to break the silence when she lifted the now empty tray of food and opened her bedroom door to put it against the wall in the hallway. The gentle clatter of silverware seemed to jolt Zuko out of his thoughts and he cleared his throat roughly. The sound caused Katara to bring her gaze up, directly into his stare. His eyes scorched her but she was glad to find that she did not find any suspicion or accusation in them.

"I guess it's my turn, now," she said, a hint of a joke in her voice. She tried smiling at him but it quickly fell. "I'm sure you're tired of all of this sharing, though. You're free to leave and go…" Katara stopped. Despite having heard so much about Zuko's history, she still did not know Zuko. She also did not quite comprehend why that disappointed her on some level. She tried pathetically, "… go over to Mai's house?"

Zuko arched an eyebrow at her and he appeared to be holding back an amused laugh. His expression sobered up once more. He spoke directly, without hesitating, "If you don't mind, I'd like to hear your story. I'd like to know how badly my ancestors have _royally_ fucked up."

"Well I think I vented everything out to you my first night, which was rather inappropriate as you're technically my boss and I usually have a much better work ethic than that," she rambled. Katara blushed slightly. "But if you want the details… I'll tell you everything I remember."

"We are being honest, aren't we?" he replied with a smirk on his face. "If you don't want to, though, I can accept that."

Katara gave him a weak smile. "But you won't like it," she took a deep breath and turned her head towards her closed window and frowned. She pulled back the shutters that Zuko had previously slammed shut in his frustration and basked in the sunlight that now poured into her bedroom, illuminating the dark shadows that lurked around them. She could already feel the atmosphere itself lighten. Katara looked out and stared enviously at the turtle ducks swimming happily in the pond in the garden. Zuko took notice of the direction her blue irises were and scoffed.

"You just fainted out of heat exhaustion and you want to go back out?"

"That only happened because I wore too many layers and was dehydrated. As you can see, I'm appropriately dressed and ate. I think I'll be fine. I'm a big girl, you know. I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, you only just got held hostage by a psychotic intruder who held twin hook swords at your throat. But I'm sure that was no big deal. In fact, I'm sure the two of you are best friends," Zuko retorted sarcastically.

Reddening, Katara ignored the fact that just yesterday, she _had_ enjoyed being in Jet's arms, though not at the exact time and place Zuko thought of. "Obviously, that's not going to happen out there in the garden, is it?" she snapped back, her hands on her hips. She shifted her weight onto one hip and took one hand off, holding it up while rolling her eyes. "Especially since I have a brave, strong prince out there with me."

Narrowing his eyes at her, Zuko remained adamant, "I'm not going outside. I also know that you're stalling."

"What? I'm not stalling! I genuinely want to go outside!" Katara insisted, tugging on a long strand of hair.

"Ha! That's your tell!"

"My 'tell'?"

"You know, like in Pai Sho. You have a face or gesture that lets the other player know that you're bluffing. You pull on your hair or you… pet it sometimes, I don't know." Zuko knit his eyebrows together. "Yeah, or you do that when you're uncomfortable. But I think that you're just lying."

Glaring at him, Katara dropped her hands to her side and replied, clearly irritated, "For your information, I _do_ want to go outside and I guess I'll just have to go alone. Enjoy my room— your room, whatever. Just clean up if you make a mess." Katara harrumphed crossly and stomped out of the room, taking extra care to slam the door in her wake, just as Zuko had done to her just this morning.

'_And the morning before.'_ Katara thought acrimoniously. She continued storming down the hall, shocking servants who hurried to get out of Katara's way. One nearly dropped her tray full of food, full of fruit pies.

She shared a glance with her friend, who, similar to her, cast a wide eyed glance at the irate girl that everyone in the palace knew was Prince Zuko's new concubine. "She's a feisty one, isn't she? This is her third day here and doors have been slamming all over the place since then."

Her friend giggled behind her hand. "I guess Prince Zuko is having trouble controlling her. Who would have thought that the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation is struggling with controlling a little servant girl like her? What's going to happen when he becomes Fire Lord? No wonder Fire Lord Ozai is so pissed at him."

"Really?"

"Didn't you hear from the girls in the kitchen? They were having a war meeting and— eep!"

The two girls turned around and saw a tall, imposing figure towering over them, his golden eyes set in a deadly glare. His voice was low and controlled but they could sense the wave of anger beneath his words. "Have you two seen an angry girl stomp her way through here?" He held his hand a full head shorter than him. "She's about this tall, tan skin, blue eyes, long brown hair. No? Then maybe you should start doing your jobs instead of standing in the middle of the hallway gossiping about me."

The two instantly bowed in contrition and began apologizing but Zuko held up a hand to stop them. "It's fine. Just _please_ go do your jobs. As you can guess, I'm having a pretty bad headache that started on the night of my birthday."

"Prince Zuko, these fruit pies are a request of the young noblewoman Mai. She also instructed us to inform you that she is with your sister, Princess Azula, and wishes to speak to you as soon as possible."

"Fine. Just go!" Zuko yelled intolerantly. He watched them nod before scurrying away down the hallway, one of them tripping over Katara's empty tray of food and 'gracefully' face planting into the ground.

Zuko raised his eyebrows and let out a small smile at the poetic justice before his face twisted back into an angry scowl when he remembered the subject of their inappropriate discussion. He ran a hand through his dark hair and muttered to himself again, "_How_ can such a small, insignificant girl cause me _this_ much trouble?"

* * *

When he saw her, Zuko stopped short. She was sitting at the edge of the small pond where he saw turtle ducks congregating around her. She was sitting with her legs to the side and was swirling her hand around in the water and the younger turtle ducks seemed to enjoy the motion, getting swept up in the ensuing ripples and waves. He narrowed his eyes to squint closely. Unless he was too far away to see clearly, he could have sworn that the water's movement was bigger than it should have been.

"Admiring the day, Prince Zuko?" Zuko flinched and saw his uncle standing behind him, his hands hidden within the huge bell sleeves of his robes and with a serene smile on his face. He followed where Zuko's gaze was originally intended, understanding washing over his face. "I see that you are appreciating the view."

"No, it's not—"

Iroh chuckled heartily, "It's fine, Prince Zuko. I was a young man myself." He glimpsed back at Katara once more, noting her sour expression and annoyed mood. "You know, it is better to learn from your mistakes and seek to restore honor," he said profoundly.

Raising his eyebrows, Zuko nodded and replied slowly, "Yeah. Thanks, Uncle. I'll, uh, I'll remember that."

Iroh made a face. "Zuko, apologize to her."

"What? How can you just take her side like that? _I'm _your nephew. She's just—"

Shaking his head, Iroh disagreed, "She is a person, no matter her social class or her purpose for being here. It is necessary to show kindness and forgiveness, as well as embrace humility. You will be a better man for it." He took his hands out from his sleeves and pushed Zuko towards the pond. "Now go."

Groaning, Zuko trudged towards Katara and sat down abruptly, leaning against the trunk of the nearby tree. He saw Katara's head turn slightly in his direction before she turned back towards the pond and he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Do you really want me to say it?"

Katara maintained her silence, the only clue that she heard him being the way that she slightly turned up her nose. He noticed her hand that was in the water began moving more roughly and the turtle ducks quacked to voice their dissatisfaction. One nipped at her fingertips and she returned to a slower motion.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "But I don't know why I'm sorry."

Katara scoffed, "Great. That felt really sincere."

"I _am_ sorry! I know I did something wrong but you're so… _mood swingy_ that I'm not sure that I know what happened." Zuko sighed into his hands. "This is why I like being with Mai. I've never had to deal with this kind of stuff before."

Katara looked back at him. "I don't like being accused of being a liar," she stated simply. Katara shrugged and explained, due to Zuko's look of bewilderment, "Doesn't your reputation matter to you? Don't you care about how people think of you?"

Zuko countered, "Why something like that? There are people in this very palace who think of you as just a servant, a dirty peasant, my whore—"

"Your sister's a lovely girl, by the way," she interjected dryly.

"— and _this_ is what hurts you?"

"Everyone who's thought of me that way doesn't know me. After what we've been talking about, I thought that you'd at least understand something about me." Katara lowered her legs into the water and began kicking lightly, causing splashes to rain over the turtle ducks. She squinted at Zuko. "I trust pretty easily, for the most part, Zuko. I don't like being wrong, either, especially when it comes to my judgment."

"I didn't mean anything by what I said. Trust me."

Katara's startling blue eyes searched his face before she smiled slightly. "We'll see about that," Katara quipped back playfully. "First, humor me, and bear in mind that my honesty policy is still in place. I know that this is a personal question, but do you really love Mai? Don't take this the wrong way but the two of you seem so different. She seems like a big… blah. She's so stoic and reserved. While you're like that sometimes, you're mostly pretty emotional. Granted, a large majority of the time, the dominant emotion is anger… but you're hotheaded and temperamental and passionate while… she's _not_."

Zuko was taken aback by her question and her thought process— especially by her blunt manner of asking him. He choked out another question in response, "Well don't opposites attract? You know… light and dark, day and night, hot and cold, fire and water?"

Looking as if she wanted to suppress a smile, Katara asked skeptically, "You've met a couple like that and they were perfectly happy?" She continued teasing, "Even though one was light, one was dark? One was hot, one was cold?" Unable to hide it any longer, Katara grinned at how Zuko flushed but felt guilty and hid her laughter behind her hand, though she could not keep her shoulders from shaking.

The blush on Zuko's cheeks faded when he saw Katara start laughing. Sure, was at his expense, but he decided that he liked it better when she was picking on him than when she was mad at him, a realization he came to with deep resignation. "Well… no. But I like Mai. I know that she's had a crush on me since we were little, so she obviously likes me. We've been together so long that I don't remember _not_ being with her." Heat crept up into his cheeks again when he noticed Katara's small smile out of the corner of his eye. He gulped and continued, "Well I know that she'd make a great Fire Lady… and I feel… for Mai, I feel…"

Katara's face fell. "You were doing so well until you brought up politics."

Zuko looked back at Katara and found himself entranced by her appearance, which included her petite frame that was full of soft curves and covered in smooth, russet colored skin, and long, soft chocolate waves that cascaded down her back, completed by the exotic, almond-shaped eyes that were a amazing shade of blue that always shifted and changed shade in time with her emotions and constantly served as a portal into her thoughts. He unsuspectingly began comparing her with Mai's tall, slight frame and her milky white skin. Like her other features, her eyes were narrow and sharp, colored in the usual Fire Nation gold, and her hair was straight and a glossy ink black in color.

'_They couldn't be any more different. _Wait._ Why do I need to compare the two of them anyway? It's not as if I'll have to choose or something! Agh.'_

"Zuko?"

"Huh? I mean, yes?"

The younger girl held her hand out in front of his face and was waving it slowly while her eyebrows were knit in bewilderment. She leaned back and explained, "You zoned out on me." She sighed and leaned back onto her arms and Zuko became aware of how she was no longer by the edge of the pond, whose turtle ducks now vanished, and was instead sitting underneath the shade of the same tree as him.

"Uhn," he grunted in response.

"You're hot—I mean, _not_ upset about how I embarrassed you with that question are you?" Katara looked away though, with a fierce blush at her fumble over her own words. However, Zuko smirked at her Freudian slip.

"I won't be if you answer my next question." His eyes tightened, the gold freezing on Katara. "Why were you roaming around the halls so late last night?"

Katara blushed even further. Despite her argument in their last blowout, she became a hypocrite, and lied. "Uhm… it— it… well you see, I _am_ a girl and sometimes, say about once a month, our bodies… change. Uh… sometimes it can be painful and walking around can help ease… the… pain," she finished lamely.

Zuko tensed. In a tight voice, he squeaked out, "I get it. Thanks for being honest."

"It was probably more than too much information for you," Katara replied ruefully.

Zuko nearly cracked a smile, the corners of his mouth turning up imperceptibly. "A little."

The two teens looked away from each other and closed their eyes while they let out a little sigh under their breaths. They let the following moments pass in serene silence, both deliberately keeping their heads turned away from the other. The tranquility of the stillness was broken by the sound of frantic footfalls coming closer to them. They turned around and saw a royal messenger sprinting towards them with a scroll in his grasp.

He bowed quickly and held out the scroll for Zuko to take. "Prince Zuko! A hawk just arrived with this urgent message for you. It's from your father, Fire Lord Ozai."

Taking the scroll, Zuko waved the messenger away. His father never sent messenger hawks unless it was important. And important did not exactly coincide with Zuko, at least in Fire Lord Ozai's eyes. His fingers were shaking slightly as he held the top of the scroll, letting it unravel as it fell. His eyes scanned the calligraphy, shifting down the scroll while Katara scanned Zuko's expression, seeing as how his complexion blanched and turned an unhealthy pale white.

"Zuko?"

The prince in question tightened his grip on the parchment before crumpling it up into a ball and keeping his arm stiffly at his side. He sniffed haughtily and told her, "My father says that I am being challenged to fight in an Agni Kai to punish me for my behavior recently. Most likely, it's because I talked back to one of his generals yesterday during the war meeting." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm not scared of some sour, old man. I can take him."

"'Agni Kai'? So this is some kind of sanctioned fight?" Katara asked in disbelief.

"It's a duel between two Firebenders. It's usually just a symbol of respect, gaining it, that is. Also, it's the last resort if two people can't come to an agreement over something. Either one person yields or the Agni Kai goes on to the death. Ever since my father was coronated Fire Lord, Agni Kai's have been primarily used for the latter. It's not a sacred Fire Nation tradition anymore. It's entertainment." Zuko grimaced.

"You're not worried?"

"I have no reason to be," Zuko answered simply. "I know my actions were right."

Katara stared at Zuko, which caught his attention. She nodded at him and said, "I'm ready to tell you my story, if you're still willing to listen, that is." Taking his silence as his compliance, Katara began. She had given him a false story. One that had all the right actions and events in the right order, but with substituted details. Katara told Zuko about the red sky instead of black snow. She told him about troops of Fire Nation soldiers and big metal tanks with the Fire Nation flag instead of metal ships with flags of sea ravens. She lied about how all the men in her village fought valiantly for their tribe and said that many of the men of her Earth Kingdom village were taken prisoner or killed."

"I was only three or four at the time and I remember that I was terrified. There were people running wild and houses on fire. I heard awful things." Katara closed her eyes tightly and shook her head, as if to relieve herself of the memory of the day her mother died. "The sounds of the Fire Nation soldiers laughing or the blood-filled screams of the people they caught or the mournful cries of kids like me or the hopelessness of the people calling for help as they were being dragged away." As old habits break hard, Katara clutched at her neck. "The worst sound was the sound of… my father. I told you my mother died… she… I saw him clutching her body. He was crying and cursing at the sky. Then he put her down and ran off to fight the soldiers. I… lost him, too. I don't know whether he was captured or is completely gone… And that was the day that I swore I'd never let myself forget."

"Forget what?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but I know that there's something significant about the fact that a man would be so heartbroken at the loss of his wife. That I would learn something about life from that."

"You sound like a naïve, over-romanced, little girl." Zuko's tone wasn't harsh, just blunt and Katara stared at him with eyebrows raised. "Your parents are lucky. Love… it isn't exactly commonplace in high society, especially Fire Nation high society. Take a look at my parents. Life isn't like some folk tale you heard every night before you went to sleep. It's difficult and sometimes you can't take it anymore." He glanced at Katara. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your memory of your parents."

"You didn't. You've given me a new perspective on certain things, though."

"Like?"

"That maybe I always knew that life is horrible. After all, look at the path destiny's shown for me. I've lost people and I'm not home and I'm considered an elevated whore. I think watching my parents disappear from my life shows me that love never really lasts and sometimes, it's okay, maybe even better for me to be alone. But at the same time, I can't help but feel like I have to keep some hope that it will all work out better in the end. That trying to find happiness is really worth the risk."

"I wouldn't know much about a happy life, either."

"Yes you do."

"Like?" Zuko repeated.

"You and Mai… you'd consider yourself lucky if she was the one you ended up having to marry, wouldn't you?"

Zuko nodded slowly. "I really think that I'd be okay with that." He cast her a sly look. "Why, are you jealous?" Blushing furiously, Katara adamantly denied his claims. Smirking at her, Zuko continued poking fun at her. "It's okay. I heard you call me hot earlier."

"You know that was just a slip of the tongue!" she retorted. She stuck her tongue out at Zuko but froze when she heard a sound that was foreign to her ears.

Zuko. Laughed.

Like, actually laughed. Not one of his quiet snickers or sarcastic laughs, or even his infamous chuckles that still sound a little bit angry. This was a genuine laugh of happiness and fun and Katara found herself smiling that she was the one to bring it on. She giggled freely and when Zuko stared at her quizzically, her laughter increased.

He scowled at her and demanded, "What's so funny?"

"You laughed!" Katara gasped. "You actually, laughed! You _never_ laugh!" Katara felt herself become overwhelmed from the giddiness that she suddenly felt and rolled in the soft grass, clutching her stomach, relishing the feeling after having been quite unhappy for the past three weeks since this whole mission began.

Zuko just scoffed and rolled his eyes at her, but his lips twitched upwards while he tried to fight a smile at the ridiculous sight of Katara rolling around in the grass like a lunatic, or as if she had just gotten stung by a boar-q-pine. He found himself laughing softly again.

A shadow fell across the both of them and Zuko and Katara looked up to see Ty Lee standing nearby, coming closer with light, springy footsteps. Ty Lee cocked her head to the side, but smiled as she approached them. "Hi guys… what are you doing?"

Ty lee raised her eyebrows at Katara, who sheepishly sat up and smoothed her hair down. Ty Lee giggled at the bushy, untidy hairstyle Katara was now wearing and put her hands on her hips. "Wow Katara, your hair looks… different." She stretched backwards, her fingertips just brushing the grass before straightening back up again with ease. She sighed happily as she now bent forward to lift herself up into a handstand. "I didn't know you liked to roll around in the grass, Zuko. But then again, Mai probably wouldn't want to so I guess you never had a chance." Zuko stared at her with his jaw hanging open, unsure of what to say next. "Anyway… while you two were busy laughing, I came to grab Katara so that she can hang out with Azula, Mai, and me."

Flipping over, she landed in front of Zuko in a crouch and asked, "You don't mind, do you?"

Zuko raised his eyebrows and waved a hand out towards Katara. "Help yourself."

Katara stood up, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not some kind of toy you can just share…" she grumbled under her breath. She looked up and gave Ty Lee a small smile, genuinely liking the effervescent teenager, although she somewhat scared Katara with this 'chi blocking' she described. Chi was energy— _life_ energy and it is essential, especially for bending.

Ty Lee stood up quickly and allowed a rare frown to touch her lips but it was only for a fleeting moment as her expression turned half apologetic and half pleading. Her grey eyes widened and her eyebrows were lifted high while she insisted, "Oh, but Katara! It's been so long since I last saw you. It was your first day here!" She clasped her hands together and held them at chest level, her two index fingers pointed up and constantly tapping each other. Her voice became nervous. "I _promise_ that you'll have fun. Remember? I told you I'd teach you how to block chi. Mai isn't interested and Azula's busy with her Firebending to care about it. Please?"

Katara rolled her eyes and nodded. "Fine," she agreed. "But if you don't mind, do you think I could go to my room and freshen up? Like you said, my hair is a mess and I don't feel like having Azula point it out to me in her… _unique_ way."

Zuko snorted derisively. He seemed to have the same opinion as he muttered, "Oh yeah."

Ty Lee scowled and rolled her eyes at the two of them. "Look, to be honest, Azula will probably leave as soon as she sees you. For some reason she doesn't like the fact that I want to hang out with you." Her lips jutted out in a pout. "Mai… well she could really care less. But I bet she'll be happy that we're hanging out because that will mean Zuko's free and she'll ditch us to jump his bones." She giggled and winked at Zuko. "All of them."

Zuko turned bright red and Katara cleared her throat uncomfortably, once again tugging on a strand of her hair. She squeaked out, "I'll go to my room now," ignoring how Ty Lee laughed at her embarrassment. She heard Zuko say something behind her and felt his footsteps trailing hers. She glanced up and saw that Zuko's cheeks were still slightly pink. Deciding that she wanted to continue the image, which she would never admit that she secretly thought was cute, she said slyly, "Running off to catch Mai?"

He glared at her and grumbled, "Shut up." He looked away and ran a hand through his hair before looking back down at her again. "You know, if you had to pick an ally out of the three of them, I think Ty Lee would be your best choice. Mai… she doesn't exactly warm up to people."

"And your sister…" The two of them shuddered at the same time. Katara raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't looking for an 'ally', though. I was hoping to find a friend here."

Giving her a strange look, he advised her, "For someone who comes from a place like the Seedy Merchant Distract and has an attitude like you, you're ridiculously naïve, you know. This is politics… even for someone like you. They're nobility. They're not looking for friends. They're looking for backup. Like I said before, Ty Lee is most likely the closest thing you'll find for a friend."

Katara bit down on the inside of her cheek and felt her face warm as she thought her next question, feeling too humiliated to actually voice out loud. Zuko's exasperated voice cut through her thoughts.

"If you keep doing that, you'll bite through." He sighed. "What?"

They stopped walking and Katara found that they were in front of her room. She rubbed her upper arm self consciously. "Are we… you know, friends?" She was met with a blank stare and she felt the heat spread from her cheeks down to her chest. She shook her head and waved her hands around sporadically. "Forget it! I'm just being stupid." Katara turned to go into her room but Zuko held her arm.

"I think that after everything we did today… after all we've told each other… Yeah, sure. We're friends." The corners of his mouth turned up slightly. He was taken aback when Katara spontaneously threw her arms around him and pulled away just as quickly, right when he was starting to return the gesture. She threw him a quick smile before going into her room and Zuko was left stunned in the hallway.

"Well it looks like little Zu-Zu's enjoying the gift Father got him. Tell me, Zuko, is she as good as the palace guards say?"

The Fire Nation Prince turned around to narrow his golden eyes at the smaller frame standing across from him with a cold smirk. "Azula."

* * *

**Acknowledgements:**

**Para:** Thank you! Really, thank you. I wrote in my last chapter for everyone to tell me what they thought and whether or not that had an effect on your review, I appreciate what you wrote, even if it's not necessarily praising— which I look for sometimes. I welcome your opinion and your input and I really am touched that even though the path my story took on is not one that you like, you're still reading.

**Besanii-Chan:** Lol! Kanna's not making this all up. If she was, she has a _lot_ of time on her hands. And like I said in the previous chapter's ending Author's Note, Kanna tells a very watered down version of what actually happened. But then, to your other guess, like I said in the Author's Note all the way at the top, there will be some canon events/ideas/stuff. I don't think I could venture off too far from the series. After all, what happened in canon is what makes the series so beloved, right? Except for all that Kataang nonsense… (grumbles in a corner).

Oh by the way, I'm currently watching the epic-osity that is the series finale aka Sozin's Comet. And as I watch Zuko kick Azula's ass in their Agni Kai and take lightning in the chest for Katara, all I have to say (or rather, wail) is why? WHY? Why Kataang? :( Okay, my fan girl ravings are over… for now.

**MaroonAngel of Darkness:** I have a weakness for cliffhangers and leaving them. I'm sorry! I hope that I didn't disappoint with this chapter. And thank you for your review! I'm glad to see that I've kept the mystery alive for you even when I've included things from their future— that was my intention for adding those parts in— 'who did Katara end up with?' 'what happened to crazula?' etc. Haha. Hope I've helped you with your edginess.

Please _read_, don't forget to _review_, and always _wonder_.


	7. The 'Vacation'

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs purely to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Chapter 6: The "Vacation"

* * *

**Summary: **As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty and life, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

_Last Time…_

_They stopped walking and Katara found that they were in front of her room. She rubbed her upper arm self consciously. "Are we… you know, friends?" She was met with a blank stare and she felt the heat spread from her cheeks down to her chest. She shook her head and waved her hands around sporadically. "Forget it! I'm just being stupid." Katara turned to go into her room but Zuko held her arm._

"_I think that after everything we did today… after all we've told each other… Yeah, sure. We're friends." The corners of his mouth turned up slightly. He was taken aback when Katara spontaneously threw her arms around him and pulled away just as quickly, right when he was starting to return the gesture. She threw him a quick smile before going into her room and Zuko was left stunned in the hallway._

"_Well it looks like little Zu-Zu's enjoying the gift Father got him. Tell me, Zuko, is she as good as the palace guards say?"_

_The Fire Nation Prince turned around to narrow his golden eyes at the smaller frame standing across from him with a cold smirk. "Azula."_

* * *

Zuko felt his jaw clench and he exhaled forcefully through his nose before talking to his younger sister. Brusquely, he demanded, "What do you want? Ty Lee's looking for you." He moved past her and tried to get into his room. He was in the middle of pulling the door open when he saw Azula move closer to him, seeing her in his peripheral vision. She was leaning against his door with her arms folded across her chest and watched him. "What, Azula?"

"What, Zu-Zu?" Zuko grimaced at the horrible nickname. "I'm Mai's best friend. I'm just trying to make sure that she doesn't have to worry about anything. After all, the palace servants— annoying, gossipy little twits that they are—they just can't seem to shut up about you and that girl."

"Katara," he corrected.

"Huh." Azula raised an eyebrow at him in a mixture of peculiarity and deviousness. "Well obviously, I had to see for myself if it was true. Could the heir to the throne really be falling for a dirty peasant?" She smiled dangerously and circled him with her hands clasped behind her back. "Dad won't like this, you know. Everyone knows about what happened with that intruder. Dad's absolutely livid and you're going to have to pay the price." Her voice was carefully uninterested but Zuko could detect the slight inflections of pleasure in her tone, as if she were desperately fighting the urge to sing her words.

The smile vanished from her porcelain face and her eyebrows came together in confusion. "Come on, stupid. What's going on with you?"

He couldn't believe how manipulative his little sister could be. Zuko almost believed her faux concern. He looked away from her and yelled angrily, "Nothing's wrong with me! I… I don't know." He glared at Azula and threw his door open. "Azula, just go away."

"Fine." Azula began to walk down the hallway and called back behind her, "See you later Zu-Zu." She laughed when she heard Zuko groan in aggravation. "Later on, I'll tell you about the plans," she added conversationally.

Zuko backed out of his doorway. "What plans?" He searched the hallway and found that there was no one there, causing him to yell in frustration and send a stream of fire down the hallway before slamming the door behind him.

The door creaked open behind him and Zuko lifted his head as if he balanced the world precariously on his shoulders. When he finally saw who entered, his expression softened, though the lines that creased his forehead didn't disappear. He sighed heavily and resigned to waiting for her to speak first.

Mai, as usual, kept a facial expression devoid of much emotion. For a moment, Zuko thought he saw something flash in her golden eyes but whatever it was died out, much like all emotion as soon as it came into contact with Mai. Zuko froze, shocked at his own thoughts. His own surprise was interrupted by Mai's voice.

"Zuko? Are you listening?" Her eyebrows were slightly raised and her voice held the unmistakable tinge of annoyance befitting a Fire Nation noblewoman. She pursed her lips and exhaled forcefully through her nose in exasperation. "What's the matter with you?" she demanded. "Ever since your birthday— no, ever since that _girl_ entered the palace, you and I don't spend any time together." Her eyes narrowed dangerously at Zuko in a silent accusation.

Feeling ridiculously drained and not wanting to deal with girlfriend problems, Zuko attempted to pacify the situation. Lamely, he insisted, "Mai, I'm not interested in Katara. I'm with you and have been for a while. I'm not the kind of idiot to just ruin that for a night in bed." When she still didn't look pleased, Zuko pleaded, "Please don't argue with me." He gulped nervously at the stony expression he received.

Closing the distance between the two of them, Zuko looked down at Mai while softly nudging her chin upwards so that she would look at him. "I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you."

"A fruit pie isn't going to fix everything Zuko."

"Even with rose petals?" he tried. When his smile wasn't returned, Zuko nodded in understanding. "Then what if we just went on a small vacation together? The two of us at my family's beach house on Ember Island for a weekend."

A shadow of a smile passed over Mai's face and she stopped resisted Zuko's nudges and allowed her face to turn upwards, towards his. Her own hand held one of his cheeks and she replied, "Whatever." Her apathy, however, was betrayed when she reached up and brushed her lips against Zuko's.

Zuko dutifully returned the gesture, skillfully moving his lips against hers and letting his tongue brush against hers when Mai allowed him entrance. While she had her eyes closed as a method of showing pleasure in something, Zuko's tawny eyes were wide open, searching his room as if he had never seen it before, and he found himself fighting the urge to yawn. Once more, his thoughts wandered away from the pale, thin girl in his arms and to a far topic. Like playing the tsungi horn. Uncle Iroh had always been badgering him about practicing, as Zuko had a gift for the instrument, and how it could even serve as a way to, as Iroh had subtly hinted, "impress the ladies". Zuko mentally slapped himself and willed himself to return to his room, away from thinking about his uncle and the tsungi horn.

Just as he returned to the reality that he was currently in the middle of making out with his girlfriend, his bedroom doors burst open to reveal an obviously uncomfortable Katara who seemed to have been dragged there by an unbothered Ty Lee who grinned suggestively at Zuko and Mai. Mai reluctantly pulled away from the Fire Nation prince crossed her arms while glowering at Katara with figurative daggers, sincerely wishing to pull out her literal daggers.

Ty Lee laughed flippantly and nudged Katara, who was still petrified, both by what she just witnessed and the death glares Mai was sending her at full force. "See? I told you. As soon as Zuko was alone, Mai tried to jump his bones!" Lowering her voice into a stage whisper, she continued, "It's a good thing we got here when we did. A little later and I think even I would be just as speechless as you are."

Zuko and Mai turned red in a mixture of embarrassment and anger. Opening his mouth and furrowing his brow, ready to fire back, Zuko was once more interrupted by the eccentric acrobat.

"So what did I hear about us going to Ember Island for some relaxation?"

Her grey eyes danced with excitement and Zuko raised his eyebrows at her, unsure of the right way to respond. He turned to Mai who gave an imperceptible shrug of her shoulders to signify that she also didn't know how to respond. Katara managed to catch the exchange and softly whispered to Ty Lee, whose grin faded away and was replaced with the slightest pout. Katara shyly avoided making eye contact with anyone and turned her attention down the hall, feeling the awkwardness continue to fester and grow.

With a heavy sigh, she tugged on Ty Lee's arm. "Come on, Ty Lee. I'll show you the new clothes I got," she tried. Katara widened her ocean-like eyes at her and nodded her head, softly urging Ty Lee to listen to her, much like a mother would to a young child.

The interaction was not lost on Zuko and he shared another look with Mai, who rolled her eyes but looking at Ty Lee's forlorn expression, gave a sharp nod.

"Ty Lee," she deadpanned, "if you want to come with us to Ember Island, you c—"

Not getting the chance to finish her sentence, Mai was expectedly crushed in a death grip by the exuberant girl. In return, Mai sighed, rolled her eyes, and returned the hug, patting Ty Lee's back gingerly. She glared when Zuko's expression warned her that he was ready to laugh. He was able to contain his mirth, but nothing could have stopped the feeling that coursed through him when Ty Lee broke away from Mai, turned to Katara, and started speaking. The sensation was similar to being dropped in ice water.

"Katara, you'll love it at Ember Island!"

While Zuko's blood ran cold with shock and dread at Mai's reaction, for once, Mai's blood boiled. Katara's eyes widened and she stole a glance at the irate noblewoman. She stammered, "Uh… Ty Lee? I don't think that I was invited… and I'm not looking for an invitation!" With another look in Mai's direction, she affirmed, "Really. I can stay here."

A frown returning to her face, Ty Lee began to speak when she was cut off. "That's ridiculous."

Three pairs of eyes turned to the golden ones belonging to the teenage girl casually standing in the hallway, her eyebrows raised. "The more the merrier, right? Besides, I'm sure that a peasant like Katara has never even seen a place like Ember Island. It's our duty as the royal representatives of the Fire Nation to show her our country's vast beauty."

Katara involuntarily shuddered at the sound of her name from the princess' mouth. Gritting her teeth to suppress the physical reaction, she bowed at Azula and reiterated, "No, princess. I wouldn't want to intrude on your vacation. I'm more than happy to stay at the palace if that's what you really want." She turned her gaze upwards and made eye contact with Zuko, whose expression was somewhere between amusement, confusion, and suspicion.

Her eyes shifted to the young woman standing next to him, whose face was unhappy. Mai offered, "It's not like she'll really be needed."

Azula threw her a scathing look. "I just said that it would be ridiculous to stay here, didn't I Mai? I think that a weekend on Ember Island would be the perfect way to get to know our new friend." She smiled coldly. "Yes, I think that it's _exactly_ what we all need. I'm sure that Katara is still shaken up from the intrusion last night… aren't you?" Without waiting for an answer from Katara, she moved on. "It's settled. We leave tomorrow morning." Continuing to ignore anyone else's opinion and not giving someone else the chance to speak, the princess turned away from them and briskly walked into another hallway, turning the corridor and out of their line of sight.

Suddenly, her voice tore through the silence as she called out, "Mai! I need you!"

Rolling her eyes, Mai groaned quietly and gave Zuko a quick kiss before walking in the direction Azula did, making sure to intentionally shove past Katara, who scoffed at her in indignation. Katara pursed her lips and sucked in her cheeks as she tried not to yell at the (in her opinion) spoiled, bratty, selfish, Fire Nation robot.

Ty Lee ignored the tense atmosphere that still lingered and grasped Katara's hands excitedly. "_Now_ you can show me all of your new clothes, Katara! We can pick out some great outfits for the beach and in case we meet any cute guys!" Her ash colored eyes widened considerably and she smiled sheepishly at Zuko, a feat Katara didn't think someone as boisterous as Ty Lee could accomplish, and apologized, "Unless of course, you wouldn't want her to."

Zuko was taken aback. He didn't care whether Katara met guys. Right? No. Of course not. He had a girlfriend— he shouldn't care. He didn't… Right? "Wouldn't want her to what?" he asked dumbly. At Ty Lee's raised eyebrows, he blinked. "What? Meet… guys? I really don't care," he scoffed impassively.

Too late, he noticed the strange look that crossed Katara's face but before he could absorb it, she turned her face away from him and towards Ty Lee. She smiled at Ty Lee kindly, "Go ahead to my room. I'm just going to talk to Asha for a quick second and then I'll come back." Looking back at Zuko, her nose slightly upturned, she huffed and walked away… or rather _stomped_ away.

Staring dumbfounded at Katara's retreating figure, Zuko fought the urge to slam his palm into his face. Weakly, he nodded at Ty Lee, croaking out, "See you tomorrow… So glad you you're coming to Ember Island with me and Mai… and Katara… and _Azula_."

The door promptly shut in front of her in a way that betrayed Zuko's calm demeanor and Ty Lee stared at it innocently. "Well, he's certainly in a bad mood," she commented. She shrugged it off and happily made her way to Katara's bedroom next door, immediately going for the armoire filled with clothes.

* * *

Katara, on the other hand, was panicking. Again. She was moving in the opposite direction from Asha's room, instead heading for the kitchen. She opened the door cautiously and found herself surprised at how calm and empty it was. The kitchen was usually loud and crowded full of people with short tempers, eager to scream at her for getting in their way. Backing out of the door, she squealed when she felt someone behind her. Katara turned around and saw the head chef, carrying a crate of fresh fruit. He looked down at her as if she suddenly grew horns.

"Can I help you, miss?"

Blushing, Katara clarified, "I'm sorry. I was looking for another servant." She added, "Prince Zuko's looking for him."

The doubt on the chef's expression was replaced by one of boredom. "Which servant?" he asked gruffly.

"The new one." The look on his face told Katara that her description wasn't doing much to help either of them. "He, uh, he's about this tall," she put her hand a few inches above her own head, "and he's kind of scrawny. Has a ridiculous ponytail…?"

"Oh Wang."

"Wang?"

"Yeah, Wang Fire. He's the one that Prince Zuko hired yesterday right?" He moved past her and put the crate on top of a large counter, shaking his hands free of dirt and wiping them on his apron. "He's not working the kitchen today. I think he has garden duty today… or he's at the training arena, cleaning up for Fire Lord Ozai or Princess Azula."

Katara quickly bowed and muttered her thanks before quickly running down the hall and making her way to the garden, as it was closer, hoping Sokka would be there. When she got there, she groaned when she saw that no one was there except for someone sitting by the turtle duck pond. Her eyes quickly scanned for the quickest way to get to the training area when she caught sight of Sokka in one of the nearby halls, sweat glistening on his forehead as he carried various swords, towels, and other equipment. He saw her and, making sure that the middle-aged man he was following, who happened to be carrying less equipment, didn't notice him, slip away.

He promptly dropped everything at their feet. "Katara, I've been meaning to talk to you!" He started reaching within his shirt for something. "I was able to get into the office last night and I've figured out—" Stopping short, Sokka dipped into a curt bow and Katara stared at him in bewilderment.

"What are you doing?" She looked behind her and saw an old man that she recognized as Zuko's uncle and mimicked Sokka, clumsily bowing in front of him. Two large hands stopped her and pulled her shoulders upright. Her cerulean eyes widened as she was met by a warm, jovial smile.

"My dear, it is _I _who should be bowing to you in recognition of your great beauty!" Iroh laughed heartily while Katara's face turned rosy. "If you don't mind, as soon as you are done talking with this young man, I would enjoy if he would get me a new pot of tea." He nodded at Sokka, who answered with an eager nod of his own. "And if you would check on my nephew. You are aware, I'm sure, that his room is close to the pond where I was just sitting and I can hear him… it sounds like he's upset."

Katara laughed at the expression on his face, one that showed how well he knew that Zuko being upset meant that furniture might get destroyed from being engulfed in flames. "I'd be happy to." Iroh smiled again at her and Sokka before leaving the garden and entering the palace, humming a song.

"I will be waiting for my tea in the library!"

Sokka shook his head in disbelief. "That guy's crazy."

"Still, he's becoming one of my favorite people here," Katara countered. "Now what did you grab?"

"I've got letters between members of the War Council and Fire Lord Ozai. They're going crazy looking for the Avatar… a load of crap, if you ask me. The Avatar's been gone for a century. But Fire Lord Ozai seems genuinely concerned about it. He's also trying to figure out how to topple the two Earth Kingdoms of Omashu and Ba Sing Se. Not to mention the Northern Water Tribe. Right now, they're scattered, but when they finally decide on what to do, it seems like they're going to put all of their energy into it. I think Omashu's in trouble."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Try another break-in. I'm still missing the maps that have the coordinates of all the fleets."

Katara groaned. "I can't. I got roped into going to Ember Island for a weekend."

"Ember Island? This isn't a vacation, Katara," Sokka hissed.

Glaring at her older brother, Katara shot back, "I know that, _Wang_. It was Azula… I don't like it, though. It seems like she has something up her sleeve."

Sokka sighed and shook his head. "There's nothing we can do about it. In that case, just try and get them to trust you, especially Zuko. He's the weakest link in the royal family." He stuffed the papers back into his shirt, not noticing the annoyed expression on Katara's face, and lifted the equipment he was carrying before.

"He's not," Katara muttered.

Not hearing her, Sokka kept speaking over her, "Looks like I'm going to have to fly solo for a weekend. I'll try not to get caught."

Sighing, Katara decided to let it go. Instead, she instructed him sternly, "You better not." Katara bit down on her lip before hugging Sokka, nearly toppling the both of them as he tried to balance his weight, the equipment, and Katara. "Don't be an idiot, okay Mr. Fire?" she murmured. "I've got to go comfort an angry Firebending prince."

"I've got to get tea. Be careful. Watch out for Azula… she's scary." He made his way into the palace, following the route he was originally taking, while Katara made her way over to the pond. From there, she could hear the sighing that signified the intense sulking and brooding of the Fire Nation Prince.

Rolling her eyes, Katara lifted herself up onto the window's edge and swung her legs over into the bedroom, her hands on her hips as she stood nose-to-nose with an irritated Zuko. Cocking her head to the side, she quipped, "Wanna explain why your uncle had to send me in?"

Zuko stared at her and Katara didn't break eye contact but let out a sigh when Zuko broke away, running his hands through his hair as he grumbled, pacing the room. Katara dropped her arms and walked towards him, her expression contrite. "I know that you meant to go to Ember Island with Mai alone. I tried to stop Ty Lee from eavesdropping but then she threatened to use her chi blocking against me." She let out another breath and continued, "I'm sorry. If it helps, I really had no intention of going until your sister _mandated_ it."

Looking back at her, Zuko shook his head. "I'm not blaming you, or even Ty Lee. It has nothing to do with that. It's just some news I got from some of my father's messengers. Just politics." He gave her a half-smile before asking, "Uncle sent you?"

"He was concerned that you would set fire to your room," she replied wryly. "With good reason. In the short time I've been here, I've learned that you have a temper. Very valuable lesson." She pointed at him, a smug expression on her face. "See? Look, you're already scowling at me."

Raising an eyebrow at her, Zuko's face relaxed and he let out a small chuckle. "Thank you. You're right."

"I usually am. But exactly what am I right about this time?" she teased.

Knitting his eyebrows together, Zuko nodded his head slowly. "I'm not sure." He rolled his eyes. "Just take the compliment. I don't give them out that often."

"Noted." Katara smirked at him before moving towards his door. "Now that that's settled, I need to stop Ty Lee before she brings my entire wardrobe to Ember Island." She paused halfway out the door and turned back, surprised to see him watching her. "Whatever the 'politics' are that have you so irritated, I'm here to listen. I don't really have much on my agenda." Offering him one more smile, she closed his door behind her and strolled to her bedroom, the realization coming upon her that she enjoyed being someone Zuko could confide in.

Little did she know that he felt the same way.

* * *

Katara smiled wistfully as she leaned back, basking in the warmth of the fire while her niece and nephew sat, wide eyed, with their innocent eyes trained on her. Sika let out a thoughtful sigh and her eyelashes fluttered just the tiniest bit as she absorbed Katara's story. Her aunt smiled at her, understanding how the young girl must feel after hearing such a story. Sato, on the other hand, was just like his father and was impatient for the rest of the story.

"Aunt Katara! Don't stop! What happened now that Dad was alone in the palace? What did you do on Ember Island? Did that mean princess really have something planned?"

Blinking at the rapid fire questions, Katara shook her head. Standing up, she held her hands near the fire before she reached for her thick parka."I'm sorry you two, but my ship to Kyoshi Island is going to leave in about half an hour. I need to start stocking up on the supplies I'm going to bring to your parents and to pack on Appa." She frowned. "I don't think I'll be able to come down to the South Pole for a while." Katara sheathed her bronzed hands into the thick winter gloves she laid on the table before pulling up her hood.

Looking up, she already saw Kanna and Pakku waiting expectantly with two large crates of supplies at their feet, full of Water Tribe delicacies such as sea prunes and seal jerky. Katara hugged her grandparents and smiled at them warmly. "Thanks for the supplies. I know that I miss this stuff when I'm traveling. And I _know_ Sokka's about to die if he doesn't get his seal jerky soon," she laughed.

Katara kissed Sena's forehead, who giggled and squirmed in Pakku's arms, and then held her arms out for Sika and Sato. When they hesitated, Katara lowered her arms onto her hips. "Come on, you two. Don't tell me that you're going to sulk and not even hug me goodbye. I have to leave now and give my regards to all of the members of the council." Noticing that the two of them still hesitated, she added, "Do I have to remind you that it's going to be a _really_ long time before I come back to the South Pole or Kyoshi Island?"

Sika and Sato ran into her and squeezed her tightly and Katara eagerly returned the gesture as she encircled them tightly in her arms. "I'll tell your parents that you're doing fine and that you love them." She pulled away and pinched Sato's cheek, laughing when he scowled and slapped her hand away. "You're just like your father." He grinned at her words and Sika rolled her eyes. "You guys should go out and play with the other kids right now. Give Gran-Gran a break before you badger her into continuing the story."

Watching them blast by her, she called out, "Take Sena with you! Watch her!" They froze and waited while Pakku gently lowered Sena to the ground and she wobbled her way over to her older siblings. Her tiny, glove-clad hands took one of their hands and the three trotted out into the snow.

Kanna gave Katara a withered smile as Katara lifted one of the crates. Pakku carried the other one and the three of them made their way to the docks. First, Katara stopped by the giant igloo situated at the Southern Tribe's heart, where she bid all of the council members goodbye and accepted their friendly wishes of safety and good luck on her travels. By the time she finally arrived at the gangplank, nearly all the crew had boarded the ship.

Once more, she hugged Kanna and Pakku before stepping up onto the ramp.

Kanna reminded her, "Remember— I want some Waterbending great-grandchildren from you!"

Shaking her head, Katara yelled back good naturedly, "I'm not making any promises!" She waved when she reached the ship's deck and turned to enter the cabins when she was stopped by a soldier. He handed her a messenger hawk that held a tightly bound scroll in its talons.

"Good afternoon, Master Katara. This just came in for you."

Quickly flashing him a smile, Katara held out her forearm for the hawk to transfer to. "Thank you." Gently, she coaxed the hawk into lifting a foot so that Katara could take the scroll.

"We'll be in Kyoshi within the next three days."

"That's fine." Katara gave him another quick smile before letting the hawk alight from her arm to soar in the air around the ship in circles, letting out a piercing shriek. The blue-eyed woman continued walking across the deck to enter the compartments meant for housing passengers.

Making her way to her cabin, she lit the torches in her room and sat on the edge of her bed, unwinding the knot of twine around the scroll and unrolling it, laughing softly through her nose as her eyes quickly scanned the various notes written in different handwriting.

"Of course," she grumbled, "Leave it to the three of them to write their own messages on the same piece of paper." Upon further examination, she saw ink splashes, random tears and scribbling, burn marks, and mud splatters. "And fight over it," she intoned.

_Hey Sugar Queen,_

_You've been gone for almost a week now and the two boneheads you left me with are busy arguing about whether to keep tra—_

Katara's eyebrows came together in confusion when she saw Toph's message suddenly turn into a squiggle that continued to the end of the page. "Zuko and Aang probably didn't like that…" she guessed, knowing that Toph probably enlisted the Fire Lord to write for her. She also saw the miniscule ink splats near the word "boneheads" that meant Zuko paused in his writing to glare at Toph.

With another soft chuckle, Katara scanned the rest of the letter, trying to decipher the scrawling handwriting, Bending damage, and the message in general, considering that all three attempted to write her a letter at the same time and each person tried to cross out what the other two wrote. In the end, Katara could only make out Toph's message, written in Zuko's clear, simple calligraphy. She guessed that Toph was able to subdue both Aang and Zuko while somehow forcing Zuko to write for her.

She guessed it specifically had something to do with trapping Zuko in a crevasse, with only his arms free, and threatening Aang with something. Katara couldn't be sure, but she knew the Earthbender well enough that it was definitely an option. She laughed quietly at the mental image while she read Toph's letter.

_Because I know you have the inhuman patience of a monk, I know that you'll force yourself to read all the way through the end, Sweetness. And I just wanted to tell you to hurry your butt over here. You've been gone for a week and a half already! _I'd_ like to take some time off, too, but _I _realize that we have work to do. So hurry up._

Katara saw the tiny fingerprint inked onto the parchment— Toph's signature— and rolled her eyes at the Earthbender's impatience. "Spirits help me… Gran-Gran's right. We need a vacation."

The thought of a vacation brought back the memories that she had recently drudged up from ten years ago— to serve as a source of entertainment, of course, for her niece and nephew. Because it's completely implausible for Gran-Gran to have just told them the countless legends and stories she bored Katara and Sokka to death with. Nope. It had to be Katara's life story. Katara sighed and lied down on her bed, curling into a loose ball as she hugged her arms and closed her eyes, moving back ten years to that weekend on Ember Island.

* * *

'_Of course' _Katara thought bitterly. _'This is why Azula wanted me to come along. 'Experience the island' my ass… She just wants a personal servant besides her best friends.'_ Katara glared ahead at the young princess' back as she felt her arms ache with the weight of Azula's luggage. She grit her teeth as she remembered how she got roped into carrying her bags. Once in a while, she saw Zuko turn around and shoot her a sympathetic glance, but for the most part, he was no help either.

He let Azula treat Katara like an ostrich-horse and kept his arm wrapped around Mai's waist while he kept a look of disdain and indifference on his face. She rolled her eyes and scoffed at him. Her eyes enviously found Ty Lee, who was prancing around in her new beach outfit, almost gliding towards the beach, towards the _water_.

Her heart squeezed and she felt the urge in the pit of her stomach to immerse herself in the comforting element. She stood alone on the dirt path while she watched Azula, Mai, and Zuko follow Ty Lee down to the water's edge. Shaking her head, Katara sighed and turned her back on the water, trudging up the hill along with the other servants, towards the royal family's beach house. She then promptly dropped the bags haphazardly in Azula's ostentatiously decorated bedroom and walked away. She made it around the corridor before returning and rearranging the luggage meticulously, not wanting Azula to take her rage out on any of the innocent servers.

That didn't mean Katara left the room without being even angrier at the princess, though. She silently fumed before she rounded another corner and nearly collided with the ancient twins— Lo and Li. She recoiled when she saw their shriveled faces and unconsciously took a step back from them. They turned to each other, shrugged, and continued making their way past the shocked Waterbender, who quickly recovered and then made her way out of the house and towards the water.

Her feet sank into the warm sand for a fraction of a second before her shoulders slumped and her head hung when she heard her name being called. Reluctantly, she turned around and saw Ty Lee and Zuko standing about twenty yards in front of her. Ty Lee smiled gleefully and Zuko had a stoic look on his face. Shocker. He waved her over, signaling her to follow the two of them. Katara sighed, giving the sparkling water a dejected look, before shadowing Zuko. He took them to a large, vacant courtyard, paved with large, bumpy blocks of stone.

Katara's eyebrows lifted and she blinked at Zuko, waiting for an answer to her silent question. _What are you doing?_ His golden eyes, for the quickest of breaths, lit up with something that vanished too quickly for Katara to recognize, and the cool expression returned once more to his face.

Zuko's pale pink lips curved up into a small smile while he explained, "After what happened the other night— twice, I might add— I thought that maybe you should learn how to defend yourself." He smirked at her when he saw the look of discontent flash in Katara's eyes. They darkened to a cobalt blue and she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him, silently but obstinately refusing his suggestion.

"It's not a suggestion," he countered.

Katara's mouth fell slightly at how he seemed to know what she was thinking. She quickly pursed her lips and continued glowering at the Fire Nation Prince. "I can defend myself just fine," she stressed. What she really wanted to do was dive into the water.

"Oh really?" Zuko's tone held a mixture of a scoff and interest, as if he were talking to a child.

This didn't go past Katara and she exhaled forcefully through her nose. "Really."

Matching her glare with one of his own, with the composure of a prince, Zuko calmly replied, "You didn't seem to know how to defend yourself the other day when those three thugs were about to rape you. Or that night when that intrude held a hook sword to your neck. Twice."

Katara's cheeks flushed red. She replaced her glare with a sickly sweet smile. "Okay. You want to see me defend myself? Fine. _Train me_ then, oh knowledgeable one."

"The sarcasm's not appreciated."

"_I_ appreciate it."

The two locked eyes heatedly and Zuko felt something akin to a growl starting in the back of his throat. He tore his eyes off of hers and barked, "Ty Lee, you wanted to help right?" It sounded more like a statement than a question.

It seemed to go over her head, though. Ty Lee nodded and smiled excitedly, the movement causing her long, brown braid to bounce up and down. Her hands were clasped tightly and she assured Katara sincerely, "Don't worry, Katara, I'll be sure to go slow and not go too hard on you."

Touched by the rarity of her kindness, Katara responded without any sarcasm. "That's not necessary, Ty Lee. Like I told _Prince Zuko_, I can defend myself just fine. Treat me as if I were a regular sparring partner."

Zuko didn't miss how Katara added the acidity to his name and understood what that meant. For the time being, she didn't consider him a friend anymore. He sighed and shook his head. "Fine. If you want to get hurt, go head. Help yourself." He turned to sit on the steps of the courtyard. "Just don't blow up at me when you get hurt," he grumbled.

"I heard that!"

The tanned young woman had her body turned towards him, her brown hair flying with the quick rotation, and her blue eyes lit up with anger. Zuko was temporarily mesmerized until he noticed the blur that was Ty Lee bounding towards Katara, ready to hit her with obvious jabs that would efficiently, but temporarily, paralyze Katara. He opened his mouth to yell out at Katara, but his mouth dropped even further when he saw Katara do an aerial cartwheel to the side, skillfully avoiding Ty Lee's blows and then quickly dodging when Ty Lee turned around and thrust her hand out. From her position, Katara crept lower and swung her leg out, knocking Ty Lee down.

Zuko stared in shock at how easily Katara dispatched Ty Lee. He blinked several times and watched her reach a hand out to Ty Lee, helping her up. Then, she turned to him, a proud smirk lighting up her face.

"Can we stop this now?" Katara asked sweetly, her plastic smile stretching her cheeks.

"No. Again."

Figuring that Katara had a lucky shot, he leaned back against the steps and waited for Ty Lee to hit Katara and by association, prove him right. Wrong. Once more, Katara swiftly moved around Ty Lee's deadly jabs, weaving her way around the acrobat impressively. With a well placed kicked to the small of her back, Ty Lee was knocked down again. Zuko had a slight frown on his face.

"Ty Lee, you weren't going easy on her, were you?"

Smiling, she shook her head. "Katara said it wasn't necessary for me to and that she could defend herself. I believed her." Nodding her head to the side, she quipped, "She was right."

Vacantly, Zuko dismissed Ty Lee, "I guess so… you can go now, Ty Lee. I guess we didn't need to do this after all."

"No problem." Ty Lee hugged Katara quickly before skipping down to the sand. "Hopefully, he won't keep you too long and we can go to the local boutiques for some shopping!" Her long braid bounced behind her while she made her way back to the nearby beach.

Katara watched her disappearing figure with envy and then turned around to watch Zuko's face as she rubbed in how capable she was of taking care of herself. "I _told_ you that I can take care of myse— what do you think you're doing?"

Her eyes went wide when they landed on Zuko. He stood up from the steps and lithely jumped down them and onto the paved stone of the courtyard. His arms crossed over his torso and grabbed the bottom hem of his shirt. Zuko began lifting his shirt and began exposing the immaculate, ivory skin underneath, with a texture that reminded Katara of a sculpture. His body was muscular, but lean, not bulky. As he continued raising his arms, and subsequently his shirt, Katara's eyes traced the ripple of his muscles' movement as they were revealed. His stomach was flat and hard, the sunlight catching the indentations of his abs. His torso was fit and trim, tapering in from his broad chest to his hips. Zuko pulled the shirt off of his arms and Katara caught the wiry muscles of his arms twist as they maneuvered out of the article of clothing.

A bright red color flooded Katara's bronze cheeks and she stammered out again, "Wh-wh-what d-do you think you're doing?" She noticed the tone of hysteria laced in her words.

In the midst of throwing his shirt off to the side, Zuko froze. "I think I'm getting ready to spar with you," he replied simply. "You just knocked down Ty Lee without any problems. I doubt that my sister or Mai would hesitate or pull back any punches if they were to fight you." He rolled his neck and rotated his shoulders back and once more, Katara was distracted by the flawless, cream-colored skin that now flowed endlessly from his handsome face to his hips. "So I am."

"Huh? You're what?"

Zuko looked at her as if she had just told him that she was planning on breeding eel hounds for children. "I said I'm going to spar with you." He spoke slowly, as if he were talking down to a little child.

The red patches on her cheeks quickly turned into a flush of indignation. "I don't need you to pull back anything," she retorted, his earlier words now sinking in. "I just proved to you that I can take care of myself."

Rolling his eyes at her, Zuko shook his head, his shaggy hair swinging. "Yeah. Against Ty Lee, the bubbly acrobat," he argued sarcastically.

"You know as well as I do that she's a damn good fighter!"

"Or you were just lucky right now! Because the last two times you got caught in a sticky situation, it looked like you had no idea what to do!" he roared back, his temper getting the best of him.

"Are you angry at me?" Katara asked, even though there was no hint of remorse in her voice.

"No," he drawled, "I'm as giddy as a little girl."

"With that hair, you could pass for one."

Zuko was taken aback from the show of stubbornness he was receiving from the petite girl smirking at him. His lips curled into a smile of their own and he heard himself laugh while he asked, "Why do you do this to me?"

Katara laughed back. An unusual sound, Zuko realized. To his ears at least, it was a foreign laugh— carefree, easygoing, _genuine_. "Why knows? I think I've taken a liking to teasing you, Prince Zuko."

The atmosphere changed significantly in this moment of playful banter and neither teenager knew exactly how to deal with it. Katara blushed and the smile remained on her face, though much smaller. Zuko cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Just to satisfy my peace of mind, if you're able to knock me down, then I'll forget about this idea that _you_ think is stupid, but I happen to think is for your safety. But if not, then you have to train with me during our time here and back at the palace."

"Fine."

Katara maneuvered herself into a ready position while Zuko stood normally, if not a little uptight, completely exposed to any attack that she might choose. She lunged forward, catapulting her body weight forward as she threw an arm out to hit him. He easily sidestepped her attempt and quickly wove around her body so that he was behind her and grabbed her other arm, twisting it behind her back. Katara instinctively struggled against his hold and took notice of the close proximity between them and how she could feel Zuko's bare skin against the bare skin of her lower back.

"You still want to continue?"

Grunting against the grip on her arm, Katara replied, "One thing you need to know about me, Prince Zuko, is that," she pulled on her arm roughly, pulling Zuko forward with it, "I don't give up so easily!" As he fell forward onto her arm, Katara rotated herself free and kicked his legs out from under him and as he fell, she mirrored his movements, twisting an arm behind his back while she pressed a knee into his lower back, pinning him onto the ground.

She yelped when her hand felt intense heat pooling around his wrist and she immediately let go, allowing Zuko to leap up and twist away from her. Katara glared at him and he shrugged innocently, though he smirked cockily at her. Katara's glare intensified and she slightly tilted her head, challenging him to come at her. Zuko obliged and charged towards her, his hand swinging towards her, but Katara effectively blocked the blow with her forearm while trying to hit him with her other arm, which he blocked. She maneuvered out of the way of his knee, which came up towards her abdomen, neatly leaping into the air in a back tuck before landing lightly on the balls of her feet. Katara then circled around him and rose into the air once more, her foot aimed at Zuko's head. Zuko bent backwards, allowing her to skim over him and land behind him, skidding slightly.

They continued their hand-to-hand combat, never really landing a real blow on each other, always managing at the last moment to avoid it. Katara glided through the air and twisted out of the way of Zuko's quick blows effortlessly while Zuko was able to anticipate and block her circuitous angles of attack. He extended his arm in a sharp jab and Katara narrowly avoided it, the fist just grazing the side of her torso, but she failed to notice his leg come up and hit the back of her knees, forcing her legs to collapse under her so that she lost balance and fell backwards.

She rotated her torso as she fell, her arms reaching out in front of her so that she could place her weight on her hands and then turn her momentum into a forward handspring, gaining distance from Zuko. However, Zuko managed to predict this next move and agilely snaked an arm underneath her before her palms touched the ground. He pushed her back, reversing the momentum so that she was again falling backwards, and put his other hand on the back of her neck as he caught her just before she hit the hard stone. Lowering her, he put a knee on either side of her, lightly resting them on her wrists, while he had his one hand cradling the back of her neck and his other forearm pressed against her throat.

They breathed heavily while looking at each, scanning each other's faces. Katara struggled in vain to free her wrists from the weight that Zuko put down on them but then huffed and turned her head, refusing to meet his gaze any longer.

Zuko took this as her way of telling him that she realized she lost and he took his knees off of her arms and removed his forearm from her neck, instead resting his hand beside her head in order to support his weight. His other hand still embraced the back of her neck gently and Katara turned back to him.

They stared at each other in silence for a few breaths before simultaneously realizing just how close they were and how their bodies were flush against each other. Zuko let Katara lift her head before removing his hand and then helped her up.

"Looks like you won," Katara conceded offhandedly, obviously trying to hide her bruised ego.

"I did… but I think that we sparred enough today."

Sighing, Katara repeated, "'Today.' That means we'll be doing this another time, though." She gathered her thick hair up, smoothing it down, before letting it fall back down her back. Looking up, she noticed the look on Zuko's face and she amended, "Not that I don't understand that you're trying to help me. I just don't like the idea of training." _At least not without practicing my Waterbending…_

Katara was taken aback when Zuko put a hand on her shoulder as a gesture of comfort. He ventured a small smile at her which she timidly returned. He then turned around to pick up his shirt and put it back on.

"You're free to do whatever you like now. I really did intend for this weekend to be a way for you to relax, too. Azula, on the other hand—"

"Intended for me to be her personal servant?" Katara supplied.

Gruffly, Zuko replied, "Sorry." He noticed how Katara's eyebrows raised and he narrowed his eyes at her. "What?"

Smiling wryly at him, she joked, "I think that I've won the honor of having Prince Zuko apologize to me on a regular basis." She was happy to see that her playfulness elicited a semi-playful response from Zuko as he rolled his eyes at her. "Now if it's okay with you, I think I'm going to head down to the beach." Katara fought the urge to break into a spring towards the water, but after deciding she didn't care what Zuko thought if she did, she let her legs carry her as fast as they could through the warm, unusually grey sand until they found refuge in the cold, refreshing saltiness of the water. She laughed flippantly as she broke through the surface after dunking her head underwater.

Zuko watched her practically gallop down the beach, unable to keep from smiling as she did so. Shaking his head, he turned to make his way into the house, wanting to take a shower to rinse the sweat and sand off of his body. He was taken aback when he entered the house and found himself nearly colliding into his sister. Zuko stopped short and let her pass him, but Azula then turned around to face him, flanked— as usual— by Mai and Ty Lee.

"We're going to go to the spa for some massages. You're welcome to come if you like," she explained, though her expression suggested otherwise. She paid more attention to her sharp nails while she waited for his response.

"No, I'd rather not." Zuko inwardly grimaced at the idea of going somewhere that was called the Fancy Lady Day Spa. Ugh.

"Hey, where's Katara? Maybe she'd like to—"

"Ty Lee!" Azula snapped, "I don't remember inviting that peasant girl to join us." Her golden eyes flashed coolly before sniffed, her nose tilting upwards. "Now let's go before we miss our appointment."

Mai cast Zuko a lingering look before following the other two. Zuko sighed and made his way to the shower when another thought crossed his mind. He changed direction and left the house, instead walking on the sand and to the water's edge where he saw Katara disappear. Scanning the surface of the water, he saw something move just underneath and moved towards it. He was blindsided when he was drenched in an onslaught of water that he didn't see coming.

Wiping his face and pushing his hair out of his eyes, he stared in shock at Katara who was grinning at him from behind. "Couldn't resist."

Shooting her a look of annoyance, he waded out of the water and used his Firebending to dry himself off, the heat causing the water to evaporate and surrounding him in a small cloud of steam. Katara followed him out of the water and wrung her hair out, the long brown locks heavy with moisture. She did the same with her pants.

"So…"

"So…" Katara mimicked.

"My sister and the other two went to a spa and they probably won't be back for a couple of hours. I was wondering if you wanted to take a tour of Ember Island." Sensing her hesitance, he added, "It's also probably the longest you'll go without ever having to see Azula and actually have a decent time."

Pretending to contemplate his offer, Katara took a deep breath and crossed her arms, her eyebrows coming together in concentration. She then laughed and rolled her azure eyes at him, "Sold." The two of them slowly felt the ground beneath them turn hard as they strode into town, the sand gradually becoming concrete and cobblestone. Zuko led her through the busy shopping district, past the stores, booths, and street performers. Katara noticed that Zuko continued walking them through the entire district before completely leaving the populated area and taking them onto an isolated dirt path that sloped upwards, up the side of a mountain.

Following him up the path, Katara finally asked, "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere I used to really enjoy going to." He paused and waited for her to catch up. When she was at his side, he pointed up the path towards the side of the mountain. "There."

Katara saw an ornately built building settled in the mountain's side. "Oh," she gasped. "What is it?" She assumed that it was another house for the Royal Family, should they tire of their house by the beach. Not entirely implausible.

"That's the Ember Island Theatre." Zuko nodded at her and they began to walk up the path again, soon reaching the steps of the impressive theatre.

"You used to like the theatre?"

"No. I hated it."

"But you just said—"

"I loved going here every summer with my mother. _She_ loved the theatre." Katara saw his shoulders shudder and she worried that maybe Zuko was crying until he turned around to look at her. He had a wince on his face. "The acting's terrible and I always ended up either sleeping or begging my mother to leave." His expression softened before he turned back to open the entrance doors. "But I'd rather watch this crap with her than stay with my father and Azula."

Katara stood frozen in front of the threshold, staring sorrowfully at Zuko's back while he continued walking into the empty theatre. Subconsciously, her fingertips brushed the hollow of her throat, yearning to touch the only keepsake of her mother's that remained. Taking note of the silence, Zuko looked back at her.

"What's the matter?" he asked, a hint of impatience in his tone. Katara saw his amber gaze focus on her hand and she hastily dropped it to her side. "What's the matter?" Zuko repeated, although there was now gentility in his voice.

"I'm just wondering if we're allowed to be in here," she lied.

"I'm the prince of the Fire Nation."

"That doesn't mean you get to abuse your power."

"Fine. This will be the last time we sneak in here." He rolled his eyes. "Now come on!" His eyes shifted around their surroundings, not alleviating Katara's suspicions that they weren't allowed in the theatre, even if Zuko was the prince. He took her up a flight of stairs and pulled open a pair of double doors, revealing the grandeur of the theatre.

Katara took in the beauty of the architecture from the balcony seats and a smile slowly curved into her face when her sapphire gaze alighted on the wide, expansive stage in front. She leaned over the railing and judged the distance from her spot to the seats below. Throwing Zuko a small smirk behind her shoulder, Katara leapt over the balcony's edge, landing neatly onto the cushion of the seat below. She laughed incredulously at her latest stunt. Looking up, she locked eyes with Zuko.

"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed.

"I think that I'm going to enjoy this place while it's empty and not filled with pompous, self-important, Fire Nation elites," Katara replied briskly. She then ran over the tops of the other rows until she stood right in front of the wooden stage. She lifted herself up and stared out into the empty audience. With another carefree laugh, she teased, "Come on, Prince Zuko! Like you said, you're the prince of the Fire Nation! You can do whatever you want right?"

He retorted, "Didn't you say that I'd be abusing my power?" Nevertheless, he followed her actions and hurdled over the balcony, landing on the lower level of seats, and then made his way onto the stage with her. Zuko looked down at her and her blissfully happy expression and sighed. He was never going to understand her.

Biting down on her lower lip in excitement, Katara grabbed Zuko's hand, oblivious to the shock it sent up his arm. She ignored his dumbfounded expression and pulled him behind her. They hurried off stage and Katara led them backstage. Her eyes quickly scanned the various pulleys, props, sets, and trapdoors until she found what she was looking for. As she moved forward, she was pulled back like a yo-yo because Zuko hadn't budged from where he stood. He was giving her a look as if she went senile.

Katara raised an eyebrow at him. "What can I possibly do to get into trouble here?"

"I don't know, but knowing you, anything's possible."

Katara threw him a deadpanned look before tugging on his hand again. "Trust me— nothing's going to happen." She ignored his snort of disbelief and took them towards the nearby stairwell. Zuko allowed himself a smile small as he let the young woman pull him up the stairs, a devilish grin on her face.

He realized that they were now on the scaffold that allowed those in charge of props and sets to lift and lower things down onto stage, or dump stuff onto the actor and actresses below— snow that looked like dandruff, confetti to mimic explosions, etc.

Sighing happily, Katara rested her elbows on the edge of scaffold, leaning forward on the metal railing. Narrowing his eyes at her, Zuko mirrored her actions and asked, "What are you so happy about?"

"Well this is a nice way to look at something. A change in point of view. Sometimes, I wonder if maybe the people backstage are getting a better show than the people in the audience. If I was one of them, I'm pretty sure I'd just people watch during the entire play. People tend to do the weirdest things when they think that they can't be seen." Katara looked up and smiled genially at Zuko. "I sound like a creepy lunatic right?"

Returning the smile, Zuko looked back towards the empty sides. "Maybe." They both laughed together quietly, enjoying the silence of each other's company.

Their bodies chilled suddenly when they heard the unmistakable sound of a door slamming. Zuko's acute hearing picked up the sound of two people in the lobby of the theatre and a few more coming from below them. He grabbed Katara's arm and pulled her down with him. They both crouched on the scaffold now, watching as the theatre filled with a troupe of actors and actresses that was making its way onto stage and backstage.

Silently, Zuko motioned for Katara to crawl to the other side of the scaffolding, away from the staircase. There, they found that it led to a door meant for emergency exits and hurriedly went through it as quietly as they could. The door led to the box seats closest to the front of the seats. They stayed low so as to avoid being seen while they crept out of the back of the private box and found themselves in the hallway lined with double doors, each leading to a private viewing box, much like the one they just left.

They ran down the hallway and down the flight of steps to the entrance of the theatre when they heard footsteps coming towards them. Zuko grabbed Katara around the waist and pulled her to him as he stealthily hid behind a pillar. With Katara's back to the stone column, and pinned between it and Zuko's body, he watched the two boisterous men talk about their latest roles in this summer's play. Even after they disappeared, he didn't relinquish his hold on Katara, nearly dragging her outside with him, where they ran a few yards down the dirt path leading back to town before they both stopped to catch their breath— not from the physicality of sneaking around, but from the sheer exhilaration of avoiding being seen.

Katara laughed between her pants, grinning widely at Zuko, who was giving her an easy smile in return.

"Well that was interesting."

"Those are the exact words I use after seeing a play at Ember Island Theatre," Zuko joked.

Zuko looked at the falling sun and finally took notice of the orange hue of the sky and the lanterns being lit in town. He turned back to tell Katara that they should start making their way back to the house, before the other three got home from the spa. Zuko caught her staring serenely at the sparkling surface of the ocean, which was reflecting specks of white and orange light.

"Katara."

His voice broke the trance the water had on Katara and she blinked before replying, "Yes, Prince Zuko?"

"Zuko," he corrected.

Katara's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.

"You can just call me Zuko," he expanded.

Katara let out a silent "Oh" in understanding and then turned her head up so as to look at him in the eye. Once she did, she felt warmth pool in her cheeks in a blush when she saw that he was looking back at her as well. It also suddenly dawned on her that he still had a gentle grip on her wrist. "Uhm…"

The single syllable seemed to alert Zuko of this and he immediately let go, though it felt as though his hand had an itch now and the feel of Katara's skin was the only way to relieve it. He cleared his throat and said impassively, "We should start heading back now."

Katara nodded in agreement and started making her way down the path, disappearing towards the glowing light of town. Zuko stared at her in disbelief. His mind went back to not even a half hour ago. _'Trust me— nothing's going to happen.'_

"You were wrong Katara. Something just happened right now."

* * *

**Acknowledgements:**

**AnnaAza:** Sigh. Azula, or as I fondly call her, Crazula :) It's a distant fondness though. While I absolutely agree with you and while I despise Azula as a _person_, I have to admire her on the part of her actual _character_. I mean, the original writers were brilliant in creating such an original, evil… for lack of a better term, bitch. But on a happier note, Zuko and Katara. Happy sigh. I have to admit, it's sometimes difficult for me to write those moments. Zuko's so frustrating! Agh. He never lets me know what he's thinking, lol. But I'm glad to see that I'm doing okay so far, based on your review. And yes, Agni Kai always equals "uh-oh".

**LuvinAniManga:** Aw, you're too kind! And your compliments are really just wonderful little gifts for me. Seriously, I'm not even trying to like be annoying; it's just how I feel haha. I always try to write chapters that are decent in length without cutting away too much and gasbagging it up. I feel that's the least you readers deserve after working through all my drabble. Ah… Katara. Well she always was a stubborn one, no? Of _course_ she _was_ supposed to act all nice and obedient— that's what the women in her tribe were trying to tell her in the beginning right? Well of course, we all know Katara and I think that in the situations she was put in, she would have rather done what she thought was right rather than do something against her heart. And she really _isn't_ getting away with it, is she? I mean, Zuko's warning her about his father, as is Asha, and if she doesn't understand, there are going to be some pretty serious consequences. Well… yeah, it won't end well.

**suffersfromloginaphobia:** First of all, love your screen name. Have to say that I, myself, suffer from the same infliction lol. And yes, while you did not log in, I still appreciate the review. You were correct on that assumption. And thank you for the fave adds; those are greatly appreciated as well. Haha, I never seem to get tired of people loving on Zuko. And always due to his spoiled arrogance yet lost-boy-charm. And I won't make any assumptions about your location, I live in the northeast and use the word 'like' with no shame, so there should be no need to be embarrassed haha. Thanks for the review!

As always— read, review, wonder. Because I'm sleep deprived from writing this chapter and it's the least that you can do :P


	8. The Other Guy

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs purely to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Chapter 7: The Other Guy

* * *

**Summary: **As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty, life, and love, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

_Last Time…_

_"Well that was interesting."_

_"Those are the exact words I use after seeing a play at Ember Island Theatre," Zuko joked._

_Zuko looked at the falling sun and finally took notice of the orange hue of the sky and the lanterns being lit in town. He turned back to tell Katara that they should start making their way back to the house, before the other three got home from the spa. Zuko caught her staring serenely at the sparkling surface of the ocean, which was reflecting specks of white and orange light._

_"Katara."_

_His voice broke the trance the water had on Katara and she blinked before replying, "Yes, Prince Zuko?"_

_"Zuko," he corrected._

_Katara's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion._

_"You can just call me Zuko," he expanded._

_Katara let out a silent "Oh" in understanding and then turned her head up so as to look at him in the eye. Once she did, she felt warmth pool in her cheeks in a blush when she saw that he was looking back at her as well. It also suddenly dawned on her that he still had a gentle grip on her wrist. "Uhm…"_

_The single syllable seemed to alert Zuko of this and he immediately let go, though it felt as though his hand had an itch now and the feel of Katara's skin was the only way to relieve it. He cleared his throat and said impassively, "We should start heading back now."_

_Katara nodded in agreement and started making her way down the path, disappearing towards the glowing light of town. Zuko stared at her in disbelief. His mind went back to not even a half hour ago. 'Trust me— nothing's going to happen.'_

_"You were wrong Katara. Something just happened right now."_

* * *

Katara's lips came together in a tight line as she scowled, nose to nose, with an equally frustrated prince, whose amber eyes stared down at her in annoyance. In an act considered bold for anyone, and outrageously brazen for a servant, Katara thrust her finger at his face before poking his bare chest, ignoring the quick jolt she felt upon the moment of contact against the musculature. "I _didn't_ mess up! I did that move _perfectly_! You're just being as stubborn as a boarcupine! Especially with your _temper_!"

Zuko's nostrils flared while he lowered his face towards hers, his mouth contorted in what resembled a snarl as he roared back, "You _messed up_! You _didn't_ do that move perfectly! And I'm _not being stubborn_!" He yelled in aggravation before walking away from her, angrily letting a stream of fire leave his palms. Turning back to Katara, he added, "_And I don't have a temper_!"

Barking out a laugh, Katara threw her arms in the air and shouted back, "_Sure_ you don't! Of _course_ not! The perfect Prince Zuko does _nothing_ wrong!" She let out her own scream of anger before walking away.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Not bothering to turn around, she yelled back, "Away from here and more importantly, away from _you_!" Whirling around, she grimaced at him. "This whole sparring idea was a horrible one!" Giving another exasperated groan, Katara continued to stomp away from the courtyard and Zuko.

"Get back here!"

"No!"

Irate, Zuko watched Katara slowly disappear in the direction of the beach, her gait stiff, as if she restrained the urge to sprint or run in an effort to appear calm in front of him. He shook his head and once more, he yelled and his clenched fists produced more flames that temporarily lit the courtyard in a sea of orange, red, and yellow. "There's no way that she's going to talk to me like that— that I'm going to _let_ her talk to me that way." Dangerously, he pursued her path, a dark expression on his face. He came to a stop abruptly, turned around, and looked down.

He was surprised to see Ty Lee's hand on his shoulder and the murderous expression on his face worsened. "What do you want?" he spat.

Making a face at him, Ty Lee rolled her grey eyes and sighed. "What's with you? You're being a total grump right now. Not to mention a real asshole. Katara's a _servant_. Sure, I agreed to help you train her because I could hang out with her without your sister being mean to Katara, but now _you're _being mean to her. She doesn't need to be able to fight but Katara still did that last move perfectly."

Wrenching himself out from her under hand, Zuko muttered gruffly, "It still wasn't good enough."

Raising an eyebrow, Ty Lee asked, "Good enough? Or good enough according to your father's standards?" Ty Lee raised her palms in defense when she saw Zuko glare at her from the corner of his eye. "I'm just trying to make sure you don't ruin this weekend, Zuko. We're leaving tomorrow morning… this was supposed to be a vacation for everyone. Not boot camp."

Grudgingly, Zuko nodded at her and she shook her head before disappearing into the beach house. He knew that now that their sparring practice was over and Katara was in a foul mood, she would spend the rest of her time with Azula and Mai until Katara came back. Having too much pride to follow Katara and apologize, Zuko resolved to spend the rest of the day with Mai, like he had originally planned if it wasn't for…

No. Ty Lee was the one who assumed she would be joining the two of them on their trip to Ember Island. Not Katara.

"Great, now I'm even turning into Azula and blaming everyone around me." Zuko sighed and lied down on the sandy, uneven surface of the courtyard. He folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes while he felt the warmth on his face and torso.

'_This definitely wasn't the weekend I was planning.'_

With another heavy sigh, he resigned to falling asleep where he lay, content to not wake up until he had to go back to the palace, where he would then proceed to fall asleep in his room anyway.

* * *

Azula raised her eyebrows, feeling the mask on her face crack where the mixture had dried and caked. Her eyes narrowed and watched the woman scrubbing her feet with disdain. "Are you planning to rub my feet raw?" she demanded. "I believe I asked for my feet to be scrubbed, not grated."

Bowing her head, the woman apologize quickly, "I'm so sorry, Princess Azula. Please forgive me."

Reclining in her chair, Azula closed her eyes and waved her away. "Just go. I don't need any more service from _you_," she sneered. "And bring me someone to give me a massage."

"Yes, Princess."

Azula could hear the scuffling of the woman's feet and she made a face at the lack of grace and class. Opening an eye, she turned her head to where she saw Mai stare at her freshly manicured hand, the nails sharpened almost to a point and shining almost like the knives that the young socialite always kept. Her other hand was occupied by another woman who was filing away at the nails, evening them out and applying a lacquer. Azula smirked at Mai and turned away, closing her eyes again, ready to relish the next few moments.

"Mai… why is my brother so frustrated with you?"

This time, Azula could hear the slight pause of silence that echoed in the room. Resisting the urge to smile shamelessly, Azula's expression formed one of innocence and confusion. She added, "I mean, I thought that this weekend was a chance for the two of you to spend time together. I know that I invited myself and Ty Lee, but I assumed that the two of you would keep to yourselves while I did this sort of thing with just Ty Lee."

"Zuko's not frustrated with me." Mai's tone of voice was careful... although it was hard to be certain, even for Azula. Whenever there _were_ any inflections in her voice, it was infinitesimal.

Continuing to stroke the flames, Azula shrugged and commented, "That's strange. It seemed like he really wasn't all that interested in spending any time with you yesterday or today."

"Well we spent yesterday and today at a spa. I don't think Zuko would appreciate being here at all," Ty Lee quipped.

"Who asked you anyway?" Azula snapped. "Besides, it's not as if the two of us would have minded if Zuko and Mai declined our offer in order to be alone. I would have understood." She raised her eyebrows and widened her eyes a little too innocently before she asked, "You know that, right Mai?"

"Of course, Azula," Mai drawled.

Azula closed her eyes in satisfaction before deciding slowly open her eyes again and glance over at Mai's direction, surveying her expression. As usual, and at first glance, it seemed as if she truly didn't care about the lack of time that she spent with Zuko, but having known Mai since childhood, Azula was more acutely aware of Mai's reactions and expressions. Not all the time, but much more than anyone else, she was sure. She could detect the slight downturn of Mai's lips— her version of a frown— and the rigid way she straightened her back.

"It's strange though. I heard some servants that he spent all of his time with his whore. I guess he's making good use of his birthday gift," she offered flippantly. Azula settled deeper into the lounge chair and smirked at the passing air of suspicion and anger on Mai's face.

"What are you trying to say Azula? That Zuko's making use of that girl? Well isn't that what she's for?" she murmured, although there was acidity in her tone. "So what if he sleeps with her? I'm the one he calls his girlfriend and the one that matters."

"You're right," Azula answered. "How could I forget? Silly me."

Mai narrowed her eyes at the princess from under her thick bangs— just the slightest squint in the shape of her eyes— and a nearly undetectable glare was sent in Azula's direction. Calmly, Mai looked at her other hand and seeing that her manicure was done, stood up and began leaving the room.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Mai froze in the doorframe and answered without looking back. "To spend some time with my boyfriend." As she kept walking forward, she added under her breath, "But mostly to prove you wrong, you bitch."

Ty Lee looked from the door to Azula, noticing the terse look on the princess' face. "What's _her_ problem?"

"Who knows? It's probably stupid boy problems. Especially since the boy in question is my idiot of a brother. What an embarrassment." Azula didn't notice how Ty Lee frowned and rolled her large, grey eyes at her. Just as Ty Lee was about to speak, Azula continued, "And that _girl_! Ugh! It's disgusting. What trash! I mean, even her _skin _is the color of dirt!" Arrogantly, she turned her nose upwards. "I honestly don't know what my father saw in getting her. Obviously, it's just more proof that he really doesn't care for Zuko and just paid for the cheapest thing in the Seedy Merchant's District."

During Azula's ranting, a frown and formed on Ty Lee's face and deepened with every word that the young princess spoke. It was far from Ty Lee's nature to continue to let someone insult and attack one of her friends, but she had no idea how to stop it when it was one of her best friends doing it. Resigned, she sat back in her seat, trying to let the constant rhythm of the masseuse's hands on her shoulders distract her from the mean things Azula was spewing— all directed at Katara with the occasional jab at Zuko. A small sigh passed through her lips and she looked out of the corner of her eyes to see if Azula heard that one sound— one to be misconstrued as a sound of rebellion.

Thankfully, Azula seemed to have not noticed, her face carefully arranged into a mask of aristocratic haughtiness, her gold eyes critically narrowed at the woman filing her nails. "Not so hard! Do you want to saw my nails off?" she snapped.

Ty Lee closed her eyes and sank back further into her seat. No. Azula hadn't noticed anything or anyone but herself.

* * *

Zuko quickly realized that sleep was not coming to him as promptly as he'd like it to. After what seemed to be the hundredth groan of frustration, he agilely leapt up from his supine position on the courtyard. He ran a hand haphazardly through his dark hair and let his gaze fall on the direction he'd been trying to avoid— the direction Katara took when she stormed away from him after their argument. Speaking of which, how _dare_ she walk out on an argument with him? Technically speaking, she was his property. Property doesn't treat its owner like that!

Zuko fought to restrain his temper from flaring again, feeling the heat cause a tingling sensation in the palms of his hands. Remembering what his uncle taught him— inhale deeply through the nose, exhale through the mouth— Zuko slowly made his way down the path to the beach. Before he even left the courtyard, the sudden thought occurred to him of how much Katara favored the beach and the water.

'_I guess that makes sense. All she's ever known is that colony she's lived in within the Earth Kingdom. And then it was the Seedy Merchant's District in that brothel.'_ A frown pulled at Zuko's mouth. '_And I guess that's my fault, or at least my family's._'

Realizing the day before, when he had disrupted her time at the beach by taking her to the Ember Island Theatre… no, not disrupted. She had agreed and had a good time herself. Still, Zuko turned his gaze away from the beach, deciding that maybe he should leave Katara to enjoy the water as much as she seemed to. There was still a nagging feeling in his abdomen, almost as if a force was pulling him to join her anyway, even though all coherent thought pointed out that he had no real reason to.

True to nature, Zuko ignored reason and followed his instincts, which urged him to go to the beach. However, the presence of someone nearby stopped him before he had even turned his eyesight back to the beach and he turned around, surprised to see the stoic visage of his girlfriend.

"Mai. I thought you were going to have another all-day-long spa day." Zuko was shocked at the mild, even bland tone his voice took on when he spoke to Mai. He was even starting to sound like her. Maybe they had just been spending too much time together, although that couldn't be true since he was well aware of who occupied most of his time ever since his birthday.

Allowing him a rare, small smile, Mai moved closer to him and replied, "I've had enough of the spa. That was mostly your sister's plan for coming to Ember Island. The exfoliation possibilities of the sand and all." By now, she had come well within the boundaries of Zuko's personal space that he usually enforced with everyone else. Instead of being intimidated by being so close to the prince, she draped her long fingers in a familiar manner, on his shoulders, and let her voice take on a slightly teasing tone. "Why? Are you telling me that you think I should go back and get beautified? That I need a spa treatment?"

Scoffing and rolling his amber eyes, Zuko returned the gesture, his arms finding their way around Mai, albeit much more rigidly than normally. "Of course not. I just assumed—"

"That was your first mistake." Zuko raised an eyebrow at her and she smirked slightly. "The second was not dragging me out of there yourself." They locked eyes and they both knew how _that _would have ended up. A scene that would surely involve Azula raising all kinds of havoc through guilt, blackmail, insults, a combination of all three— whatever she was in the mood for, really. "Okay, maybe that's not a mistake."

With a small, husky chuckle, Zuko nodded in agreement. "Yeah, can't really see anything positive coming out of a decision like that."

The atmosphere quickly dampened when the smirk left Mai's expression, replaced by a sulking frown. "I thought that this weekend was going to be a getaway for the two of us. As in I'd get away from your sister and you'd get away from that new girl." The last part was spoken with slight venom in her voice and the sharp rising of her eyebrows. "We leave tomorrow, Zuko," she reminded him. "And we've spent no time together at all."

"What would you like to do today, then?" Zuko couldn't help but inwardly cringe at how polite he was being with her. Was he the only one who felt the awkwardness between the two of them?

"I was thinking that maybe you could take me into town and we'd just walk around."

He must be.

Zuko nodded. "If that's what you want," he replied vaguely. He untangled himself from her arms and removed one of his arms from her waist, leaving one hand placed lightly on the small of her back as they took the path from the courtyard that led to the main square of Ember Island. His eyes darted behind him quickly, as if searching in that split second for a glimpse of chocolate brown hair or azure eyes amidst the crowd at the beach.

And in that split second, Zuko felt a crushing amount of disappointment at seeing neither feature among the blurry crowd of ivory-skinned, black-haired Fire Nation aristocracy. He was even more surprised when the wave of disappointment swelled and broke over him when he noticed that he saw the girl next to him the same way— just another blur, a huge "blah". The hand on Mai's back twitched momentarily when he realized it and he fought the urge to recoil away from her.

What felt like an insurmountable stretch of time was actually a few seconds and Zuko sighed softly, hanging his head, when he saw that they had barely stepped onto the cobblestone pathway leading into town. He glanced over at Mai and it seemed that she hadn't noticed his erratic behavior. Strange. You'd think that with her stone-like countenance, she'd notice how jumpy he was. He sighed once more before continuing what he felt was a tiring march into town. All the lightheartedness he felt last night taking this very same path with Katara seemed to have been sucked into a black hole.

Zuko didn't even notice that they had even stepped into the busy center of the town, full of stands selling Fire Nation delicacies or souvenirs, people trying to gather attention to their street performances— most of them fire jugglers— or the more official people trying to gather tourists to convince them to take in the latest play at Ember Island Theatre. Stiffly, he retracted his arm from Mai's back, choosing to cross his arms across his chest and sulk as he walked alongside her, while her cool gaze alighted on several stands depreciatively before turning away.

As he fought another sigh and succumbed to rolling his eyes, Zuko saw a stand run by an elderly woman and two younger women who appeared to be her daughter and granddaughter. The trio of women was talking animatedly with several teenage girls, girls who were staring wide eyed and greedily at the shining jewelry displayed before them. Zuko, deciding to make an effort, clasped Mai's arm and gently pulled her in the direction of the jewelry stand, completely aware of how the previously mentioned gaggle of girls parted before the two of them, their excited chatter about shimmering stones soon turning into conspiratorial whispers about the Fire Nation Prince and his girlfriend.

Peering at all of the various necklaces, bangles, earrings, and rings, not really noticing any difference between the lot of them, Zuko's fingers hooked around a thin golden chain, with tiny spheres of red, orange, and yellow stones dotting the metal before the necklace dropped down in a Y-shape, a large, red pendant hanging down from it.

Noticing his interest, the middle-aged woman told him, "Those are fire opals. Really beautiful stones. Hold up the necklace into the sunlight and watch how the light shines through them. The reflections act like flames." She cast a sly glance at Mai. "I'm sure your girlfriend would love them."

Not showing any emotion, Zuko turned to Mai and held the necklace out to her. "What do you think, Mai?" To be honest, he could really care less if she liked the necklace or not, through he wouldn't mind buying it for her. After all, he was supposed to do this sort of thing. He had a feeling that the two didn't suit each other, though.

Sparing a fleeting look at the glittering jewelry in his hands, Mai's head tilted slightly. The sunlight managed to catch on some of the large pendant's surface and cast dancing flickers of red and orange on Zuko's hands, mimicking the dance of a slow burning fire, just like the woman promised.

"It's pretty," she said bluntly. She shrugged and turned her attention away from the necklace, from the stand, and from Zuko.

Zuko shrugged and put the necklace back. Looking back at her, he suggested, "How about we get something to eat?"

Mai's expression softened while she watched him put back the necklace and she quickly took his hand in hers, squeezing it affectionately. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the three women stare at Zuko with what seemed to be less than honorable intentions in their eyes. Not wanting to witness their pathetic attempts to get him to buy something, she offered, "I'll go ahead and see what looks good." She gave an imperceptible nod of her head, which was a clear signal to Zuko, who was already well aware of the harpies trying to sell him something at a ridiculous price. He knew that Mai wasn't the type who wanted to watch him get aggravated. After all, she knew his temper.

Not caring about the others, he leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss and returned the squeeze before letting go of her hand and turning around to try and appease the sellers before exploding at someone, his shoulders squared and tense.

Just when he thought that he was going to have to result to very vulgar behavior that would be frowned upon for a prince of the Fire Nation, his eyes caught onto the sharp contrast among the sea of red and gold jewelry.

Unfortunately, those harpies didn't miss a beat.

The old woman's eyes narrowed with delight. "Oh yes, that's a rare piece. That's the only one we have, as you can see. It's worth quite a lot. It's not from this area, not found anywhere in the Fire Nation at all, obviously."

Zuko gave a noncommittal grunt as acknowledgement of her words.

'_Yeah, I'm sure you scoured the world for this piece of jewelry. You didn't just happen to find it or steal it._' He sighed and pulled his gaze away to try and convince the women he didn't want any jewelry as politely as he could.

At the same time, although he tried very hard to resist looking back at the adornment, he couldn't help but be drawn to it. He could hear the old woman continue talking, an annoying buzzing at the back of his mind, but he kept pondering his fascination with this singular piece of jewelry. Why was he so invested in it? Why couldn't he just leave it and go have lunch with Mai? Why did he want it so badly? Even though he knew that if he bought it, it wouldn't go to Mai… she wouldn't like it… it wasn't the usual style for Fire Nation nobility… So why ponder about it?

An hour later, Zuko found himself meandering through town, once again hand-in-hand with Mai. After having a pleasant lunch together, they had decided to satisfy themselves by strolling through the various stalls and watching some of the street performers. It wasn't very exciting, but it wasn't horrible either. Zuko frowned. It was okay. Right when he was about to suggest that they return to the beach house, Zuko's eyesight caught onto the uncanny glint of blue and he followed the glint through the crowds, watching as more and more features were revealed. Eventually, he saw enough to realize that it was Katara.

Soon after, his temper grew and his blood began to boil when he noticed another familiar, but unwelcome, presence close behind her.

"Zuko. Zuko, you're hurting my hand," Mai's voice broke through the haze that anger often produced for Zuko. Meeting his eyes, Mai looked pointedly at their clasped hands and the near-death grip Zuko had on hers. "You see something you don't like?"

Releasing her hand, he grit out, "Go back to the beach house. I'll be there soon." A creased formed between Mai's eyebrows as a symbol of her confusion, and along with her slight hesitation, Zuko's expression became less manic and he assured her, "I'll be there. Don't worry."

The confusion began to mingle with suspicion before Mai's face smoothed out into a cool mask of indifference. "If you say so."

"I do," he grit out, his gaze locked on the crowd.

Zuko watched her move through the square from the corner of his vision, in the direction of the path that would take her directly to their summer house. He then proceeded to rush towards the object of his aversion, becoming a blur that moved swiftly and nimbly through the crowds of tourists, never once doing more than brushing someone by accident in his haste. Finally, he bypassed the other guy, hovering protectively near the now-confused Katara, who turned around in confusion at Zuko, whose gaze finally landed on a familiar pair of brown eyes, which held an expression as if their owner knew a devastating secret. Katara's blood froze in her veins. This person _did_ know a great secret. Her eyes lowered and focused on the grain of wheat protruding from a familiar smirk.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing here?" Zuko snarled out, his face contorted in an angry grimace.

Katara jumped at the ferocity of Zuko's entire demeanor. She motioned to touch his shoulder, to tell him that they should just leave. He seemed to feel her move, however, and he gave a tiny shake of his head that, despite the movement's lack of physical magnitude, spoke volumes about how serious he was. Timidly, she took her hand back and looked between the two guys, both of them obviously ready to fight. Katara restrained the urge to look Jet in the eye, feeling his eyes on her. She didn't want Zuko to see the recognition in her eyes, recognition that went deeper than merely being held "hostage" by this person. Her head kept down, she lifted her eyes so that she was peering at the Freedom Fighter through her eyelashes, noting that she was right in her instincts. His gaze was unwavering and completely directed onto her, even though Zuko mostly obstructed her.

"I asked you a question!" Zuko barked. Katara took a small step back, away from the irate prince as she felt the heat come off of him in waves. His fists were clenched tight, his already ivory skin becoming alabaster as it stretched over his knuckles. His shoulders visibly tensed and he slightly lowered into a crouch, a subtle defensive position, but one that Katara recognized had the ability to quickly shift into an offensive one.

Finally, Jet took his eyes away from her and instead turned their attention to Zuko, as if noticing him for the first time. They hardened and glared at him coolly. "And I don't have to answer to a Fire Nation piece of shit. Especially not _you_," he sneered.

Katara felt a blunt hit to her stomach. It wasn't that hard and it didn't hurt much. It _was_, however, forceful and before she knew it, she had flown through the air and landed on the cobblestone a good ten feet away from Zuko and Jet, the latter having unsheathed his tiger hook swords in the time it took Zuko to make sure Katara was far away from this fight.

"Doesn't need another mess like at the palace," she grumbled while she pulled herself back to her feet. Her hands absently moved over her middle and pulling a miniscule amount of water from the air, she quickly and discreetly checked herself to make sure that Zuko's hit wasn't too hard. Like she thought, nothing harmful. Katara dropped her hand and let the water trickle down her palm and fingers, dripping onto the ground. She surreptitiously glanced around the crowd, making sure no one saw the glow that often accompanied her healing. Satisfied, she turned her attention back to the two boys, who managed to engage in a brawl in that short span of time. She gasped when she saw that as her gaze returned, Zuko narrowly missed a swipe at his head from one of Jet's swords, right after he had dodged a hit from the other sword.

Zuko neatly tucked and rolled away from Jet and maneuvered behind him, his fist already releasing fire towards Jet. Jet, however, had anticipated this move and turned and brought down one of his swords to break the fire's path. As the fire divided in two, Zuko charged through the opening Jet made and thrust his fists forward in rapid succession, each punch capitalized by a burst of fire. Jet scrambled to cross his hook swords to block but was unprepared and pushed back with every burst. Zuko cut through his last burst and managed to kick at one of Jet's wrist, loosening his hold on one of his swords. He caught it and threw it far away from themselves and the circle of spectators surrounding them. The blade moved through the air, twirling so that the end with the spearhead lodged itself into the side of a store.

Jet growled in frustration and began his assault on Zuko again. He spun his remaining sword before gripping it so that the curved blade located near his wrist now faced towards Zuko. Jet charged Zuko, the arced weapon heading towards the prince. He got close enough that Zuko was forced to back away and he managed to steal a mace from one of the useless Fire Nation soldiers who stood by, watching without bothering to intervene. He swung just as Jet did, the metal causing a reverberating clang to echo throughout the crowd. Both pushed and grit their teeth in trying to avoid being pushed back by the other. Their heads nearly knocked as they leaned forward.

Zuko ground out, "What's your problem?"

"I already told you. It's Fire Nation trash like you!" Jet roared. He suddenly pushed off and knocked Zuko back and took a swipe, this time the sharp blade managing to cut flesh.

Feeling the sting of an open wound and the slow drag of blood flowing down to his finger tips, Zuko registered the cut on his forearm, stretching from elbow to wrist. It wasn't deep, but Zuko could tell that it wasn't just a scrape, either. His eyes hardened as they stared at Jet, who smirked at his successful attack. Jet then began to advance towards him, his sword held to his side, ready for more of Zuko's blood. Heat engulfed Zuko's unharmed arm while he created a fire whip and he lithely sidestepped Jet and kicked him roughly in the back, sending Jet to the ground. The Freedom Fighter easily got back up and charged Zuko again, this time using hand-to-hand combat. Easily parrying his blows, despite being one-armed, Zuko kicked his stomach, causing Jet to double over, and hit him square in the chest, with the result of Jet flying back before landing brusquely on the ground. His fire whip still in his hand, Zuko aimed at the arm holding the remaining hook sword, relinquishing it from Jet's control. It clattered on the ground near the inner edge of the crowd.

Now that Jet seemed to be thoroughly defeated and unarmed, the soldiers in the crowd converged on Jet and bound his arms, dragging him through the crowd. Katara then broke out of the circle and towards Zuko, her hands immediately grasping for his injured arm. Zuko flinched and made to jerk his arm away from her but he stilled his arm once he felt her small but firm fingers gently turn his arm and inspect the wound. Now that he finally looked at it properly, he saw that the cut actually _was_ quite deep. He hoped that there wasn't any nerve damage. He looked up to Katara and saw a crease between her eyebrows while her blue eyes meticulously investigated his arm. She pursed her lips and raised her eyes to meet his.

Just as she was about to speak, her head lifted at the sound of someone calling her name. Jet. Her blood froze once more.

"Katara! Katara, don't let them get away with this! Think about your family and what the Fire Nation's done to them!"

Katara turned around slowly, her mouth slightly agape in shock at what he was yelling. _'Idiot,'_ she thought harshly. Didn't he know that now she could be implicated if Zuko believed that they knew each other? Her heart stopped for a minute when Jet spoke his next words.

"I'll come back for you! I'll free you and you can come join me!"

Her limbs not moving on their own, Katara was surprised to find herself being pushed behind Zuko, his good arm outstretched. "Stay the fuck away from her! What business do you have in bothering her like you have? You held her hostage before and now you're stalking her and causing fights," he snarled. The two locked eyes in a steely glare and Zuko's golden orbs narrowed dangerously as they glared at Jet.

"Stay away." Zuko's voice was low and even in a way that made Katara shiver. The undercurrent of anger was obvious and his last two words were spoken with venom. While she registered this, she also realized that Zuko didn't find anything suspicious. He just believed Jet to be a psychotic stalker… something that Katara couldn't totally disagree with at this point. She inwardly groaned, Sokka's previous warnings about Jet echoing in her mind.

'_Great. One more thing he can berate me for.'_

Zuko turned around just as the soldiers dragged Jet out of view and he rested his good arm on her shoulder. "You okay?"

Katara nodded. "Just a little shaken, I guess." Once she got over the fact that Jet was so close to blowing her cover, she looked Zuko over and once more took his arm in her hands, her fingers gently probing the area near the wound. "You on the other hand… come with me."

Resisting her pull, Zuko stayed firmly where he stood. "I'm fine. This is nothing."

"_That's_ not 'nothing'. That's actually a pretty deep cut and if we don't take a closer look at it, it could get infected or there could be nerve damage or a thousand more possibilities." Katara placed her hands on her hips. "Come on."

Stifling a groan, Zuko followed her, the crowd around them dispersing and returning to their daily routines. He raised his eyebrows when he noticed the speed at which Katara was walking back to the summer house. It was nearly identical, if not faster, to the walk she took earlier in the day when she stomped away from him. Zuko let out a small chuckle through his nose, the corners of his mouth quirking up slightly. Katara was a good distance from him. He figured that he could just wait for her in the courtyard while she went to do whatever she needed to.

He was surprised to see Katara already waiting for him, sitting patiently on the steps with a container, cloth, a roll of bandages, and a bowl. He sighed and sat down on the steps next to her, his arm automatically held out for her. "We do have medical staff in the house, you know. There's no need for you to do this."

Katara let out an unladylike snort. "I can treat this better than that prissy medical staff." Her words were rough and unsophisticated, but her fingers moved deftly and gracefully around his cut. Her motions were practiced and precise, he noticed. Sensing the question on his lips, Katara explained, "I lived in a colony. Sometimes, there were idiots that tried to fight the troops that moved in. I learned to help take care of their wounds at a young age," she lied easily. Well… half-lied.

She took the cloth and dipped it into the bowl once more, lightly wringing the water from it before she softly patted the bloodstained skin. Once the dried blood was washed away, she opened a small container of what seemed to be a paste of a greenish pallor and smelled like the forest, in his opinion. She dipped two slim fingers into the paste and swirled them around before gently wiping the mixture onto Zuko's cut. The effect was nearly instantaneous. The sting Zuko had been feeling retreated and the heat around the wound dissipated as the paste cooled his skin. Katara's nimble fingers then wrapped the bandage around his forearm, unrolling the white cloth easily around his arm, a movement Zuko was sure he would have accomplished much more awkwardly. She cut the bandage and secured it over his arm and freed his arm.

Smiling softly at him, Katara held an expression of pride at her work. "Still think you should've gone to the 'royal medical staff'?" she teased. Her voice had lowered and she spoke with mock gravity. She squealed when Zuko scowled at her and used his breath of fire to toss a small flame at her while he looked over his arm. "Ew," she complained, "It's like you vomited fire on me."

Rolling his eyes, Zuko fought the urge to laugh. "You manage to attract pathological stalkers," he countered. "I think we're even." He glanced at her and fought the urge to laugh once more. Her facial expression was one where she seemed to fight back the urge to stick out her tongue or retort or perhaps both. Another option was that she was constipated. At that thought, Zuko couldn't help but burst into a short bark of laughter before it settled down into a husky chuckle.

Narrowing her eyes at him, she demanded, "What's so funny?"

Slightly shaking his head, he dismissed her, "It's nothing." Seeing how she wasn't placated, he offered, "Thank you for taking care of this," he lifted his injured arm up to clarify. "If worse came to worse, I was just going to engulf my arm in fire and cauterize the wound just to stop the bleeding."

Making a face, Katara lightly scolded, "Burning a wound close should only be used as a last result. For one thing, it's painful and dangerous. You kill the tissue and can damage the tissue _and _nerves underneath." Her usually full lips tightened into a small line. "If you _did_ do that, that would've been a really reckless move on your part."

Zuko gave a noncommittal grunt.

Katara rolled her eyes at him and mocked, "And you would have had a really ugly scar on your arm. Can't have the prince look less than flawless."

"Yes. God forbid I get a scar."

Katara and Zuko locked eyes in a halfhearted glare. When it was evident that neither was going to really back down, a silent truce passed between them and Katara scoffed and turned her attention to the glittering ocean in the distance.

"Katara."

It was Katara's turn to give a grunt.

"Look... We're leaving tomorrow morning but if somehow those idiot soldiers lose that guy or he slips away, he's going to probably try and see you. Just… just try and avoid that."

Katara looked back at him and saw that he wasn't staring at her but straight ahead. He seemed to notice her stare, however, and his cheeks colored lightly. He cleared his throat and he added, "I just don't need any extra trouble, okay? For whatever reason, he seems to be obsessed with you."

"I… Zuko… Okay." She smiled softly when his eyebrows raised in apparent shock. "I can't promise that I'll manage to avoid him for the rest of my life or whatever, but I can promise that I won't seek him out."

Zuko nodded and Katara looked back to the ocean and they sat together in comfortable silence. When she saw that it was starting to get dark and she wanted to shower off the day's heat and events, she bit her lip in hesitation before quickly throwing her arms around the prince, whispering in his ear. "Thank you for taking care of me."

She released her hold and moved away from the steps, taking all of the medical supplies into the house with her, leaving Zuko thoroughly stunned and unmoved from his position when she ambushed him with her hug, his arms still awkwardly outstretched and his mouth open. Once she disappeared from his sight, he sighed and looked back at the horizon, trying to sort through the confusion Katara often caused for him.

* * *

Kanna sighed once she finally managed to get all three children fed and bathed and changed for bed. The only problem was that they didn't want to sleep. Sika and Sato sat down on the bear pelt in front of the fireplace, each taking turns playing with Sena, who crawled back and forth between her brother and sister, full of giggles and smiles. Periodically, they would look up at Kanna expectantly, waiting for her to continue telling them the story. Their stubbornness, she admitted, originated from herself.

She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren for their headstrong personalities, but at the same time, it didn't help when it came to parenting them.

Pakku laughed softly. "It's not that late, Kanna. Just keep telling them the story. They'll fall asleep soon enough."

"I don't think so."

Sika was kneeling now and settled her weight on her feet. She began bouncing impatiently. "Oh please, Gran-Gran?"

"I don't think so," Kanna repeated. "The next part will probably keep you awake. So if you wake up early enough, I'll start telling you the story as soon as possible." She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and added, "Of course, I have to go to the market tomorrow morning with Gramp-Gramp so if you want to wake up early enough, you're going to have to go to sleep early."

She made a show of clearing the dinner off of the table and shared a secret smile with Pakku, who shook his head lightly at her. She wasn't the least bit surprised when she felt two miniature, children-sized hugs on either side of her and a muffled good night. Sika and Sato did the same with Pakku before picking up Sena, still smiling on the bear pelt, and hurried to their rooms. The sound of slamming doors punctuated their meaning.

Kanna put the plates back down on the table and laughed quietly. "If I knew that was all it took…"

Pakku took the stack of plates and placed them in the sink before joining his wife at the table, taking her hands in his. "It _is _a pretty fantastic story."

Kanna returned a smile and nodded in agreement.

"One that shouldn't have to have happened… not to such good kids at such a young age…" Pakku continued, a hint of sad nostalgia echoing around his words. "But one that brought us one of the happiest lives and beautiful families I could have imagined. After all, she brought us back together as well, didn't she?"

"Yes, the spirits were kind to us and to the kids. But they had to work so hard."

"They ended up alive and happy, though," Pakku reminded her. The two were then surrounded by the countless stories and memories of young men and sometimes women who never came home and their families' devastation and cries. "Come, beloved. Let's go to sleep."

Pakku squeezed his wife's hands before helping her out of her seat and walked towards their bedroom before peeking into their great-grandchildren's room. All three were nestled into their respective bed or crib and fast asleep. Kanna smiled gently at them and closed the door softly behind her. Pakku placed his hand on the small of her back as they slowly walked to their bedroom and settled into the bed they had shared for a decade, after being separated for a lifetime.

Before either of them drifted into sleep, Pakku kissed his wife on the forehead and apologized, "I'm sorry for being so stubborn."

"I'm sorry for breaking your heart."

"You put it back together much better than any healer could when you accepted my second proposal."

Kanna leaned into Pakku's side and rest her grey head on his chest and they lay together quietly until they were lulled into sleep by the sound of the other's sleeping.

* * *

Katara stepped out into the cool, crisp evening air, her face slightly upturned as she stared at the luminescent expanse of galaxy above her. For the past few weeks, living in the Fire Nation— full of smoke and pollution and bright lights— had obstructed the sight of the universe in the sky. The view she saw every night at home in the Southern Water Tribe. The most she could see in the capital were a few dozen twinkles in the blackness above her. Now that they were on a small island with relatively few lights to block out the stars, she sat down on the grey sand, hugging her knees to her chest while she bathed in the silver light. The moon was waxing and she felt the pull within her as well. Lazily, she swung one of her hands back and forth, watching the slight swell in the waves crushing onto the shore.

She sighed. That reminded her… she had meant to heal Zuko's cut… but he was watching her so intently. Katara let go of her knees and stilled her hand, the slight control she had over the waves disappearing. She plopped onto the sand and lay down with her palms up and her eyes closed, as if she were sun bathing. Except she concentrated not on the heat of the sun, but on the push and pull of the growing moon on the waves before her. Katara slowed her breathing and her heart rate so that they coincided with the waves. Her heartbeat was enough time for a wave to crash and recede. The wave crashed as she inhaled and pulled away as she exhaled.

The sound of waves and her breathing was soon disrupted, but only slightly. Katara didn't move yet. If this person was going to attack her, she'd like to have the element of surprise and lull them into a false sense of security by pretending she was asleep, which she was very close to prior to noticing the disturbance. The footfalls on the sand didn't move away and continued in her direction, hastening in their journey.

Katara's eyes almost widened in shock as her mind registered a possibility. _'Jet!'_

As soon as the footsteps were nearly on top of her, Katara opened her eyes and threw her weight forward, propelling out of her supine position on the sand, and onto her feet as she did a quick tuck in the air, turning around quickly to face whoever was intruding upon her time. Her arms were already raised in a defensive position and just to be safe, she stayed close to the water line. Once her eyesight adjusted to the sudden change from the back of her eyelids to the silvery moonlight, she lowered her arms and stepped away from the water.

"Come on, Zuko!" She yelled exasperatedly. "What are you trying to do?"

Smirking at her, Zuko sat down next to the spot and where she was previously lying down. He looked at it pointedly and Katara rolled her eyes at him before sitting down in her original spot. "Now will you tell me what you're doing out here in the middle of the night giving me a heart attack?" she asked, full of cheek.

"Just as soon as you tell me what you were doing out here in the middle of the night in the first place," he retorted dryly.

"Well it's not exactly the most relaxing atmosphere in the house with your sister and girlfriend sending death glares my way." She dug her hands into the sand and lifted them, watching the grains fall through her fingers. "I just wanted to have some sort of semblance of a vacation." She gestured to the sky and to the waves. "This was relaxing," she said simply.

Zuko considered her before he spoke. "It was getting late and I couldn't find you in the house. I asked one of the servants if they saw you and she said that she saw you head towards the beach after dinner. Dinner was a while ago. You hadn't come back. There's a crazy stalker following you. My thought process isn't too hard to follow."

"But you could see me from the courtyard."

"Yeah," he scoffed. "I saw you lying down in the sand. Not moving."

Tearing her gaze away from the sand, she looked to her side to see Zuko staring back at her. The moonlight cast an otherworldly glow on his pale skin, making it appear as if he was shimmering, and his gold eyes stood out in a perfect contrast from the silver-tinted darkness. Her breath hitched and she felt her cheeks warm.

Katara whipped her head around, resolutely setting her stare to the ocean. "Well as you can see, I'm not dead." She was met with silence and she fought the urge to look back at him. Instead, she changed the topic. "So why were you looking for me in the first place?"

"Huh?"

Knitting her eyebrows together, Katara looked back at him. He was the one staring absentmindedly at the ocean now. "I asked you why you were looking for me in the first place."

"Oh. My arm was starting to hurt again and I was wondering if you knew how to help with that."

"I left the ointment in the house. If you want, we can go back in and I'll reapply it."

He shook his head, his shaggy black hair moving with his head. "No, it's fine. I can wait until tomorrow."

"If you're in pain, I don't mind going back inside."

"I can handle it."

"Zuko—"

"Don't, Katara." He turned towards her. "Stay out here as long as you'd like." Zuko motioned to get up. "I'll go back and leave you to be by yourself. Just do me a favor and try and get in soon so I don't spend all night wondering if Jet came and abducted you."

The mention of Jet's name caught Katara's attention. "You found out his name?"

Zuko stopped and sat back down. "After dinner, a soldier came by and informed me about him. He apparently claims to lead a huge guerilla terrorist group called the Freedom Fighters. I've never heard of them." He sighed. "If you ask me, it sounds like a bunch of kids getting into dangerous situations that could cost them their lives."

Katara fought the urge to run away at this point. Things were hitting a little too close to home. Once again, she changed the topic. "You can stay here, with me, if you'd like. I tend to zone out though so I won't be much company."

Fighting a smile, Zuko asked, "When have you known me to be a talkative person?" Katara easily returned the smile. Zuko watched her blue eyes twinkle lightly with mirth before they traveled down to his bandaged arm. "It's fine. I'll just put some ice on it to numb it until tomorrow."

Biting down on her lip, Katara tried, "Well I could try something with the water."

"You're going to put saltwater in my wound?" Zuko asked incredulously.

"Trust me." She waited for what felt like a century but was most likely just a heartbeat of silence. He nodded and she smiled softly. "Just lie down on the sand and close your eyes." She saw the hesitation and she threatened, "Unless you want to wait until tomorrow."

Katara was pleased when he did what she asked. Once she made sure his eyes were tightly shut, she Waterbent some water towards her and managed to separate the salt and was left with freshwater. Holding the sphere of water with one hand, she carefully undid Zuko's bandage, laying his forearm on her lap to compensate for her preoccupied hand. Once she unraveled the cloth, she enveloped both of her hands in the water and held them over Zuko's. They began to glow a soft blue and she moved her hands over the wound, hovering above the angry red line. Through the water, she felt the chi paths and the swirls of energy in his arm. Knowing that it would be highly suspicious if his arm was miraculously healed, she only went so far as to take away his current pain and expedite the natural healing process by a few days. There was also very little chance of scarring now.

She relinquished her control over the water and let it splash lightly onto his arm. She used the hem of her shirt to dab it dry before she rewrapped the bandage. Katara was about to tell Zuko she was done when she saw that he had managed to fall asleep during the healing. Normally, she would have found the peaceful expression on his face enough reason to leave him be, but seeing as how she couldn't leave him out on the beach for the rest of the night, Katara leaned over him and gently shook his shoulder.

His hand grabbed hers and she let out a small yelp of surprise. Zuko opened his eyes at her and though his senses were bleary, he sat up and flexed his bad arm. "Thanks," he muttered. He noticed Katara's hand in his and hastily let go.

Katara blushed, hearing the old, stupid voices of the wise women in her tribe tell old, stupid superstitions about meeting stupid soul mates and stupid hands that stupidly fit together. She was still berating herself for thinking about old, stupid stuff that she didn't notice the offending hand in front of her, offering to help her up. She blinked stupidly at it before taking it and letting Zuko lift her off of the ground.

"I don't want to cut your relaxation time short, but could we go back in now?"

She could only manage a meek nod in reply. Katara couldn't look up at him, afraid that the moonlight would betray the color on her cheeks. Thankfully, they walked up the beach and into their respective bedrooms in silence and Katara let the exhaustion from the past few weeks wash over her as she finally fell asleep.

The next morning, Katara found herself scowling at the backs of Azula and Mai while they walked to the port. Occasionally, she would catch the sympathetic smile of Ty Lee or the impassive glance from Zuko as he turned around over the arm that rested around Mai's shoulders.

Once they finally reached the port, Katara threw all of Azula's bags down onto the wooden boards, huffing and panting in the heat. She sat down on the planks, next to the bags, and rested against one of the larger suitcases while they waited for the boat to pull in. Meanwhile, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee were sitting comfortably in the shade on padded chairs. Katara was more than surprised when she saw Zuko coming towards her. She raised an eyebrow at him and he shrugged.

"They don't trust you with their bags."

Ah. That made sense.

"By all means, take over."

Zuko sat down on the planks next to her and slid his bag off of his back and next to his outstretched legs. "I don't want to go to back to the palace," he confessed.

Katara raised both eyebrows but waited silently for him to continue.

"My father's still angry about the first time we dealt with Jet. And then with my behavior in a recent war meeting."

Reaching a hand over, she quickly grasped his wrist for a short squeeze before taking her hand back. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

Both of them missed the icy glare Mai sent in their direction as she witnessed the brief exchange.

"Mai. Mai, were you listening?"

"Sorry, Azula. What did you say?"

"The ship's arrived. Tell my idiot brother and the tramp to start carrying our bags onto the ship." She and Ty Lee then took off to the ramp before disappearing onto the ship's deck. Mai narrowed her eyes at Zuko and Katara once more before following after Azula and Ty Lee, ignoring Azula's orders.

Anyway, an attendant passed her on the way down and made his way towards Zuko and Katara, quickly taking most of the luggage from Katara. She began to protest and Zuko lifted a hand to stop her and then proceeded to give the man a gold piece. The two of them were left with only their own bags and made their way onto the ship.

"Zuko, whatever happens, it's going to be okay in the end."

"How can you be so sure?"

"'It'll be okay in the end; if it's not okay, it's not the end.' That's what my Gran-Gran always told me, anyway. Besides, I have faith in you Zuko. Everything's going to work out for the best." She flashed him a quick smile before stepping in front of him and past the deck towards the compartments where they'd sleep during the three day journey back to the Fire Nation Capital.

As Zuko followed her, he took notice of the slight extra weight in his pack. The weight of the necklace he purchased from the jewelry vendors. The necklace was made of a delicate silver chain, bare except for the brilliant blue stone hanging off it— a perfect circle of bright cerulean with small swirls of white and green cleverly blending in, both hidden and obvious. It mimicked the colors of the sea. The stone had a hole in the center, the inner edge of the hole ringed in silver. The metal ring stretched away from the center, vertically across the stone in detailed silver filigree. The swirling pattern reminded Zuko of waves. He didn't know why he had to buy it the day before it… it was an impulse buy. He reached behind him and took it out of his bag and stared at it. He should just get rid of it now. Hide it somewhere on the boat. He walked aimlessly , trying to figure out where the necklace should go but as he walked through the halls to get to his compartment, inexplicably, his golden eyes lifted and holding the necklace in his hand, he stood in front of Katara's open door, looking at her as she was caught in the threshold, blocked by him on her way out, her blue eyes falling on the necklace.

* * *

**Acknowledgements:**

**Naflower05: **Thanks so much! Definitely appreciate all of the feedback that I get.

**MaroonAngel of Darkness:** Gasp. I would never leave something discontinued. Ugh. Lol. If I wanted to stop writing, I would still definitely finish all in-progress stories first. (Unless of course there are extenuating circumstances… but knock on wood) I'm just really, really, _really_ bad at updating at a sane pace. It's more like I write when I'm not exhausted/busy/stressed/not in the mood. Those times are hard to come by nowadays. They'll be even more rare in the next few months, sadly. But I would not leave something discontinued. There was only a six month break between the last chapter and the one before it… I've updated one of my stories after not updating for a year and a half. Yikes. But now, let me get to your actual comments about the last chapter. First of all, super duper glad to make you happy. That's my job. And yes, Mai is being phased out haha. And I think any child of Sokka's would be amazing.

**LoverOfFirebenders:** Ah the butterflies… the wonderful feeling every fan girl gets when there's an update of fluff. It's a good feeling. But I warn against overexposure, lol. And yes, between Zuko and Katara, it's always going to be good. Unless… it's actually bad, of course.

Okay, so I've realized I've left everything fairly happy, peachy, hunky dory, all around warm and fluffy between our hero and heroine in the past two chapters. That's going to have to stop haha. Yes. Next chapter, we're going to start to get into it. Mwahaha. "What's going to happen," you may ask? Well you're just going to have to read, review, and wonder about it. Hmm…


	9. The Agni Kai

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs purely to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Chapter 8: The Agni Kai

* * *

**Summary: **As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty, life, and love, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

_Last Time…_

_"My father's still angry about the first time we dealt with Jet. And then with my behavior in a recent war meeting."_

_Reaching a hand over, she quickly grasped his wrist for a short squeeze before taking her hand back. "I'm sure it'll be fine."_

_Both of them missed the icy glare Mai sent in their direction as she witnessed the brief exchange._

_"Mai. Mai, were you listening?"_

_"Sorry, Azula. What did you say?"_

_"The ship's arrived. Tell my idiot brother and the tramp to start carrying our bags onto the ship." She and Ty Lee then took off to the ramp before disappearing onto the ship's deck. Mai narrowed her eyes at Zuko and Katara once more before following after Azula and Ty Lee, ignoring Azula's orders._

_Anyway, an attendant passed her on the way down and made his way towards Zuko and Katara, quickly taking most of the luggage from Katara. She began to protest and Zuko lifted a hand to stop her and then proceeded to give the man a gold piece. The two of them were left with only their own bags and made their way onto the ship._

_"Zuko, whatever happens, it's going to be okay in the end."_

_"How can you be so sure?"_

_"'It'll be okay in the end; if it's not okay, it's not the end.' That's what my Gran-Gran always told me, anyway. Besides, I have faith in you Zuko. Everything's going to work out for the best." She flashed him a quick smile before stepping in front of him and past the deck towards the compartments where they'd sleep during the three day journey back to the Fire Nation Capital._

_As Zuko followed her, he took notice of the slight extra weight in his pack. The weight of the necklace he purchased from the jewelry vendors. The necklace was made of a delicate silver chain, bare except for the brilliant blue stone hanging off it— a perfect circle of bright cerulean with small swirls of white and green cleverly blending in, both hidden and obvious. It mimicked the colors of the sea. The stone had a hole in the center, the inner edge of the hole ringed in silver. The metal ring stretched away from the center, vertically across the stone in detailed silver filigree. The swirling pattern reminded Zuko of waves. He didn't know why he had to buy it the day before it… it was an impulse buy. He reached behind him and took it out of his bag and stared at it. He should just get rid of it now. Hide it somewhere on the boat. He walked aimlessly, trying to figure out where the necklace should go but as he walked through the halls to get to his compartment, inexplicably, his golden eyes lifted and holding the necklace in his hand, he stood in front of Katara's open door, looking at her as she was caught in the threshold, blocked by him on her way out, her blue eyes falling on the necklace._

* * *

Zuko coughed gruffly, shoving his hand behind his band in an obvious gesture to hide the necklace. He felt heat in his cheeks and purposely kept his gaze away from Katara, backing away from her door. Ducking his head, he spoke to his feet in a clipped tone.

"Sorry. I thought that this was my room. I guess it's the next one over."

Staring at him with her large, expressive eyes, Katara raised an eyebrow in curiosity and disbelief. Nevertheless, she rolled her eyes and teased, "Uh-huh. You're acting really weird. I hope you realize that."

Zuko gave her a noncommittal grunt in reply and Katara rolled her eyes. She placed a hand on her hip and attempted to lean over to get a closer look at what the prince was hiding. He moved to match her actions, effectively hiding the necklace from her. She sighed and pursed her lips at him.

"Seriously?" she deadpanned. "I already saw what it was, Zuko. I just want a closer look. It looked like a pretty necklace." A small, sweet smile appeared on her face. "I'm sure that Mai will like it."

Inwardly, Katara fought the grimace that was trying to surface onto her face. She knew as well as anyone that Mai would _not_ like that necklace. Poor Zuko. _She_, on the other hand, happened to like the necklace a lot, from the little she saw of it. She sighed and brushed past Zuko, closing her door behind her.

Zuko had yet to reply and watched her in silence.

"Are you sure you're alright, Zuko?"

He scoffed and turned away, taking quick strides towards his room. "I'm fine!"

Katara winced when she heard the characteristic sound of a slamming door that she had come to associate closely with the Fire Nation Crown Prince. She rolled her eyes at the closed door and made her way through the maze of metal. She fumbled a bit trying to navigate through the large ship but Katara finally managed to make her way onto the deck, rewarded by the light spray caused by the collision of waves against the ship, the bright sunlight, and the scent of saltwater.

Smiling as she made her way over to the edge, Katara rested her elbows on the railing and cast her gaze on the trail of white water left in the ship's wake as the ship sped back towards the capital. Furtively looking behind and around her, Katara bit down on her lower lip before eagerly moving her arms in small circles, watching small whirlpools momentarily form before the ship moved her too far away for her to be able to control it any longer. Katara flicked her wrists up and down, creating small walls of water or tendrils of water and playing with the structures before, once more, the ship moved too far.

Sighing contentedly, Katara propped up her elbow and nestled a cheek in her open palm.

Katara jolted when she heard someone clearing his or her throat. She whirled around, half expecting it to be Azula, poised to throw her off of the ship. Or worse— Mai.

Panic overcame her in that split second. Had they seen her waterbend? Should she fight back? Or merely fall into the ocean? Obviously, it wouldn't hurt her and she could always pretend to be an exceptional swimmer and make her way back onto the ship… or Zuko would offer to rescue her. That is, if he cared enough. He did care… right?

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, Katara wouldn't find out. She saw that it was none other than Iroh standing before her. In late recognition, Katara made a clumsy bow and opened her mouth, ready to apologize.

"Please, Miss Katara, do not trouble yourself with useless apologies. There is nothing to apologize for."

Katara looked up at the old man and returned the kind smile he gave her. "General Iroh."

Iroh's amber eyes lit up with a mischievous twinkle. "For a beautiful young woman like you, I'd appreciate it if you just call me Iroh."

"Iroh." Katara narrowed her eyes at him playfully. She shook her head in amusement.

"Precisely."

"If you don't mind me asking, what is it that you're doing on the ship?"

"An old man has his secrets," he replied cryptically. He smiled jovially before continuing, "But if you must know, I had prior business and took it upon myself to make a quick detour to pick up my dear nephew and niece and their friends. My brother's thinking was not to waste anymore manpower or use anymore vessels than necessary. After all, why use more ships when the ships could be of better use abroad, like maintaining order in the colonies or even acquiring new colonies?"

Katara's smile fell. She tried to replace it, but her new smile was shaky. Katara was very much aware of what Iroh was insinuating. Ships were needed to take destroy and intimidate— gain new territories for the Fire Nation.

"Oh, Miss Katara. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"It's fine." Katara's tone was strained and she found it hard to look at him. She turned back towards the railing, staring at the water once more.

"May I ask what it is you're doing on deck? It's been my experience that your generation prefers solitude in your private compartments. Or perhaps Zuko and Azula have skewed my beliefs."

Snorting, Katara rolled her eyes. "Most likely." She shrugged, her gaze steady on the water. "I find it much more calming to be outside than cooped up in a room."

"Yes… there is nothing quite like the beauty of the ocean."

Katara turned and noticed that Iroh had come closer, just a few steps to her side, his arms folded inside of his sleeves as usual. His gaze was directed towards the horizon in thoughtfulness.

"One can almost forget all of his troubles and lose himself out here. It can be quite heartbreaking to have to return to land and its realities." Iroh sighed heavily. "Zuko…" he muttered and shook his head.

He turned to her and smiled kindly once more. "The trip back to the palace from Ember Island is not long. We should arrive in less than an hour. Enjoy the rest of this beautiful day, Miss Katara."

Left speechless, Katara could only nod back and watch Iroh disappear into the lower decks, probably towards his own room for tea or a nap, she guessed. His words resonated with Katara, though.

"Zuko…. Trouble?" Her eyes widened in realization. "Oh no," she gasped, her hands covering her mouth, "He knows. He knows what's in store for Zuko from Fire Lord Ozai."

Immediately throwing herself in Iroh's direction, Katara hurried down the steps and through the labyrinth towards the general area where she believed Iroh's room to be. _'I have to know. I need to tell Zuko.'_

After several wrong turns and bumping into a few disgruntled Fire Nation soldiers, Katara finally found herself in front of Iroh's door. She knew it to be his room even though the room was closed because she could hear the whistling of a tea kettle. Without a doubt, this was the compartment of the Dragon of the West. Katara pressed a palm to the door.

A heartbeat's moment before she pushed the door open, she heard Zuko's voice within the room and quickly drew away from the door, with every intention to walk away. However, the sound of Zuko's agitated whispers reached her and against her better judgment, Katara turned towards the door again, delicately laying her ear against the cold metal door.

"Prince Zuko, you must listen to me. This is very serious."

Katara jumped away from the door, hearing the telltale sound of a teacup smashing.

"I _am_ listening! You're telling me that my father wants me to _duel_ that crooked old general that I supposedly insulted?" Zuko scoffed. "That's the most ridiculous, crazy, lunatic—"

"You believe my brother to be a reasonable man?" Iroh interjected. "Understand, nephew, that this demand is not that uncharacteristic of any Fire Lord. Your father, especially, is no exception. I find it well within reason that he would demand this of you. Who knows? Perhaps it is a chance to prove yourself in front of him."

"You honestly think that this is about my firebending?" Zuko sneered.

Iroh hesitated with his reply. He answered carefully, "After your father's anger at you over the intruder in the palace, I think it is about your Firebending to a certain extent, but more so about whether you are able to fight. You know as well as I do that there is little that Fire Lord Ozai treasures more than power. He is under the impression that skill in combat and having the ability to best another man is the purest exhibition of power— to tower over a man that you have just defeated."

There was silence in the room and Katara allowed herself to press against the door a little more, trying not to lean too heavily for fear that the door may creak and give her away.

"When am I supposed to take part in the Agni Kai?" Zuko's voice was heavy and Katara heard a slight catch in his usually stoic voice.

"In three days' time. Don't worry, Prince Zuko. It is more than enough time to prepare you. I will help you in any way I can. But I have faith in you that you will be unbeatable."

"Thank you, Uncle."

Slowly, Katara peeled away from the door and leaned against the opposite wall, her head reeling with the news. Right away, she was resolute on helping Zuko in any way she could. She'd willingly go through that sparring nonsense he pulled on her this weekend. And she'd put everything she had into her fights, except of course, waterbending. She'd let him push her so that she could push him just as hard. Katara cast another look at the door before beginning to make her way back towards her room. She froze when she saw a shadow turn around the corner towards her— a distinctly Azula-shaped shadow. Knowing there was no way for her to hide from the princess, Katara backtracked to Iroh's door and took a deep breath, raising her fist to knock on the door when it opened, a surprised looking Zuko standing in its threshold.

"Katara?"

Katara opened her mouth and closed it, like a fish out of water. She stuttered, "Oh, uh… I…"

"What are you doing here? How did you know where to find me?"

"I went to your room to ask if we were going to spar today and you weren't there. A maid told me that you might be in General Iroh's room." Katara didn't know where that came from. She just thanked the spirits that she was able to come up with that.

"Zu-Zu!" Azula strode towards them and blocked Katara from Zuko's view, shoving her out of the way. "What's this I hear about you using Father's gift as a sparring partner? Interesting… at least it won't matter if you play a little too rough, right Zu-Zu? No one could care less if she got hurt…" A malicious glint appeared in Azula's amber eyes. "But then again, maybe you do. After all, isn't that why Father's _so_ infuriated with you?"

Zuko tensed and he scowled at his younger sister.

"It's actually quite amusing. But training with a weak peasant isn't going to help you win this Agni Kai, Zuko." Azula paused, glancing at her brother and Katara.

Zuko's eyes widened in shock while Katara's heart skipped a beat before dropping into her stomach.

Azula leisurely examined her long nails. "No matter. I just came here to tell you that Mai was looking for you, although it seems that you're otherwise occupied. I'll be sure to let her know." Azula cast a sideways glance at Katara and laughed haughtily before turning the corner, leaving Katara to fume silently at her back.

As soon as she disappeared, Zuko whirled around and hissed at Iroh, "How the hell does she know about the Agni Kai? I thought you said that my father just announced it before you set sail to Ember Island!"

"He did, Prince Zuko." Iroh's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "It appears as though he had already made his decision some time ago and confided in your sister."

His lips pressing tightly into a thin line, Zuko stormed past the two of them. Katara looked helplessly from him to Iroh. Iroh stared forlornly at his nephew, shaking his head sympathetically. He looked down at Katara and sighed. "You should go see that he cools down and doesn't get into further trouble."

Katara nodded and grunted in agreement. "He's got a terrible temper."

Iroh chuckled softly. "A fiery temper, to be sure. My nephew often acts impulsively, but that is only because he has passion. What he needs right now is someone to show him some _com_passion. I believe you're the right person for the job, Miss Katara." He gave her a kind smile before returning to his tea.

Breaking into a brisk run, Katara hurried down the hallway and through the corridors towards the section of the ship where she knew her and Zuko's rooms to be. Just as she came around the final corner, Katara heard the recognizable sound of Zuko slamming a door. Coming to a hesitant stop in front of his door, Katara took another deep breath before lightly tapping her fist against the door. She didn't expect Zuko to open the door but to her extreme surprise, Zuko answered.

"Mai, not now. I'm really not in the mood."

"I'll make sure she gets the message. Now let me in."

Zuko opened the door, but not enough for Katara to walk in. Zuko quickly filled in whatever space he had allowed as he stepped into the threshold. "Katara? What are you—"

"Do you want to talk about what just happened?" Katara grimaced when Zuko shot her a look and held her hands up as a gesture of supplication. "Okay. Fine. No more talking. Would you like to spar?"

"Why? Apparently, it's not going to help me with my Agni Kai, is it?" Zuko retorted. He paused and took a deep breath, running a hand through his dark hair. "I'm sorry… I… my mind's just all over the place right now." Zuko lifted his gaze and looked directly at Katara. "I thought you hated sparring anyway."

"Oh no." Katara raised her eyebrows. "I don't mind sparring at all. It's the fact that you think I _need_ to 'learn' how to take care of myself when obviously, I already know how to. Sparring, training, I don't mind. It's being treated like a defenseless little girl. _That's_ what I hate." She put a hand on her hip. "You happen to be the only one on my level around here, so I guess I'll have to spar with you anyway."

Zuko rolled his topaz eyes at her. "Sure. Whatever you say."

Ignoring his sarcasm, Katara lowered her eyes to his arm. "How's your arm? Is it still bothering you?" She moved forward and gently took his arm in her hands, delicately probing at the area under the bandage where she knew the cut to be. "I have ointment in my room. I know I haven't had the chance to reapply it since last night."

Katara looked up and right into the young prince's eyes, two suns that were trained on her as she looked over his arm. Her breath audibly hitched when she took notice of how close she had moved to him and how she cradled his arm in her hands. And the way he was staring at her… Katara quickly jumped away from him and avoided any eye contact.

"I'll just go grab some."

Keeping her head down, Katara backed out of Zuko's room and rushed into her own next door. She slumped against the wall after closing the door, shaking her head. Taking several deep breaths, Katara went to her small bag, quickly finding the small container of the paste she had made the night before after Zuko's fight with Jet. Gripping it tightly, she gulped before leaving her room and knocked on Zuko's door again. Finding it open, she tentatively opened the door and closed it behind her.

Zuko stood at a table, his back to her. He turned around upon hearing the door close and he gave her a small smile. He was holding his arm in front of him, the old bandages neatly piled onto the table. "Whatever's in that ointment is magic. My arm's nearly healed. I don't even think it'll scar."

Katara smiled back. "One of my many talents," she quipped. She nodded at a chair. "Now sit so I can take a look for myself."

Obeying, Zuko took a seat while Katara knelt in front of him, and he held his arm out for her. Taking his offered arm, Katara softly ran her fingers along the edges of cut. She already saw signs of healing, parts where the skin had begun to stitch itself back together and close the wound. Katara couldn't help but smile at her handiwork and her proficiency at healing.

"I'm guessing that your smile is a good sign."

Katara made a face at him before opening the tiny jar. "Someone's a comedian," she muttered, ignoring the smirk on Zuko's face. She gingerly dipped her fingers into the cold ointment, applying a light layer over the wound before rewrapping it with new bandages.

"Thank you, Katara."

Feeling a familiar heat in her cheeks, Katara ducked her head to hide the blush, busying herself with wiping her hands clean on the scraps of wrapping she had cut off and closing the jar. Even though she still felt heat on her face, Katara forced herself to look up at Zuko and assure him, "It's no problem." She made a mental note to try and sneak in another healing session, sometime soon before the Agni Kai. It would be better for him if all injuries were healed, no matter how minor. "I'll take another look at it tonight, if you don't mind."

Zuko nodded, flexing his arm.

"We should be docking soon. I'll just be in my room." Katara moved to leave the room, but Zuko grabbed her wrist.

He didn't look at her, keeping his gaze focused on his hand on her wrist instead. "Really, Katara. Thank you." Zuko then lifted his head and made eye contact with her. "I'll take you up on that offer to spar once we get back to the palace."

Katara managed to twist her hand and squeeze his wrist for a moment, a quick gesture of friendship. She smirked. "You should take a nap, Zuko. You're going to need it. I'm not holding anything back."

As she made her way out of the room, Katara could have sworn she heard a light laugh from the Fire Nation Prince. She couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face from hearing the sound.

* * *

The two teenagers panted faced each other, drenched in their sweat that streamed down in rivulets, partly from the intense heat but mostly from the physical exertion that they had just put themselves through. Katara couldn't help but smile through her panting and seeing that Zuko was in a similar physical state, took it upon herself to fall backwards and sit on the stone ground, resting her elbows on her knees. She looked up at the prince and saw him do the same.

"Tired already, Prince Zuko?" she teased.

Zuko made a face at her and ignored her teasing. He squinted up at the sky. "It's going to be dark soon. We should wash up and have some dinner." He leapt up from his seated position with ease. Katara shook her head in disbelief at how easy it was for him. Making his way towards Katara, he held an arm out to help her out. As Katara reached for his hand, Zuko's face twisted and he playfully held his other hand to his nose. "You, especially, need a bath."

Rolling her eyes at him, Katara took hold of his hand and allowed him to pull her up. "Ha ha," she deadpanned. She dusted herself off before they started making their way from the training arena towards the inner part of the palace. "Is your arm alright?" she asked, thinking of the possible strain from the sparring. His movements may have reopened the wound.

Nodding, Zuko assured her, "Didn't feel a thing. With that ointment of yours, I'm almost positive it'll be completely healed by the Agni Kai."

Katara frowned at the mention of the upcoming duel. Zuko took notice and sighed. "There's nothing to be worried about. The old general I'm dueling is… well _old_."

"Your Uncle Iroh's old, but I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to face him in a duel," she countered.

"My Uncle Iroh's a completely different situation and you know it. Really, Katara, I have nothing to worry about. So it's pointless to get worked up." He glanced at her again as they walked. "Besides, don't you have any faith in me?"

"Of course I do," Katara insisted exasperatedly. "Didn't we just end up at a stalemate? I mean if I couldn't beat you, then obviously, I'm well aware of that you can take care of yourself," she drawled. Zuko smirked appreciatively and Katara smiled smugly at him. After a moment, her expression turned meek. "I… I'm just…" She stopped walking and looked down.

Zuko belatedly noticed her immobility and took several steps ahead of her before he turned around. He stared at her with a peculiar gaze. Zuko tentatively asked, "You're what?"

Katara wouldn't answer and Zuko stepped closer to her. Katara could feel him in her space. She sighed and looked up at him, feeling a blush creep onto her cheeks. "I'm worried, okay? Aren't I allowed to be worried? A duel, no matter if it _is_ tradition, sounds scary. And dangerous. You told me that people used to fight to the death!"

Fighting the urge to roll his eyes at her. "Yeah, when the tradition first started. No one's died during an Agni Kai in generations! It'll only go as far as it has to before someone yields."

Katara's blue eyes flashed. "You'd never yield, Zuko."

Taken aback by the feeling with which she spoke, Zuko was speechless for a few moments. When he finally recovered, he smirked at her. "Then I'm going to have to get him to yield first then."

"Just don't go into this thing with an overconfident attitude. Never underestimate your opponent." Katara pursed her lips and hit his arm. "Are you listening?"

Shrugging her off, Zuko rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Now come on, we're going to be late for dinner." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back towards their rooms. He loosened his grip and slowed their pace. "But you really have nothing to worry about, Katara," he whispered.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"I'll kill you if you let yourself get hurt."

Zuko chuckled darkly. "And I'll give you full permission to." He tugged on her arm again. "Hurry up. You really do need a bath." Zuko chuckled again when Katara punched his arm in indignation. She wormed out of his grasp and stormed off. Zuko shook his head in response.

"Tell me, Prince Zuko, why did you lie to that girl?"

Turning, Zuko saw one of his father's concubines standing in the shade of an adjoining corridor. He recognized her as his father's favorite… if his father "favored" anything other than his daughter. "What are you talking about?" he asked brusquely.

The woman didn't seem to be intimidated by Zuko. She wore a patient expression on her face. She came closer to him and Zuko took a wary step back, his body tensing. "You know as well as I do that ever since your grandfather's ascension to the throne, a horrible legacy has been born. Agni Kai were duels to reclaim honor. They only went as far as a single injury, the _first_ injury inflicted to either opponent. Since Fire Lord Sozin, Agni Kai have grown to become _death matches_. A form of entertainment!" she spat.

Narrowing his eyes at her, Zuko retorted, "What else could I do?"

"Katara is becoming strangely attached to you, Prince Zuko. She's a good girl, a good person. She cares for you. Can you imagine how hurt she'll be?"

"So you don't think I'll win, either."

The both of them knew that it wasn't a question.

A calculating look entered Asha's eyes. "Whether you'll win is beyond my concern. I'm just looking out for Katara. It's not up to me, but you should let her know the gravity of the situation, Prince Zuko. She deserves the truth. You know as well as I do that being royalty doesn't guarantee you safety. Think of your mother."

A flash of pain came over Zuko's face. He shut his eyes tightly before opening them and taking a step towards Asha. "Don't bring my mother into this!" Zuko roared.

"I mean no disrespect to Princess Ursa. Just take my advice, Zuko."

She appraised him before turning and disappearing into another hallway. Zuko clenched his fests and stared at the ground, glaring at his feet for what felt like an eternity. He exhaled forcefully and turned on his heel, heading towards his room.

* * *

Katara paced restlessly in her room. She was sure she was wearing a path into the expensive rug underneath her feet. Glancing out of her window, she let a frustrated sigh pass through her lips. The dark navy of the sky was giving way to a pearly grey. Beyond that, she could see the orange and pink hues of the sunrise on the horizon. She had hoped to get some sleep before the Agni Kai. As far as she knew, it would happen either in the late morning or early afternoon. No one seemed to bother giving her the full details, not even Zuko.

Zuko had seemed distracted in the past two days leading up to the Agni Kai. Katara took notice before and after their sparring sessions. He acted strange. As if she were a distraction. Katara frowned. Maybe she _was_ being a distraction. But he had told her she was helping. Between her and Iroh training him, she was sure that Zuko was feeling confident. She knew he was. The only thing that was strange was that he was distancing himself from her.

Katara let out another exasperated sigh. She couldn't wait for this to be over with. The anticipation was palpable within the palace, within the capital even. It was customary for Fire Nation nobility to be witnesses to the Agni Kai. Katara knew better though. They were _spectators_. Fans of an age old sport. She scoffed in disgust. The regular population was still aware of the Agni Kai. Betting pools were being held, the odds in Zuko's favor. Although, it was not yet publicly announced who his opponent was.

Fed up, Katara walked into her bathroom, filling up the tub with warm water. Gingerly, she lowered herself into the water and attempted to soothe her troubled thoughts. As relaxing as her element was, it didn't hold the same power it usually did. She submerged herself further, finally ducking her head underwater. Bending a small air bubble around her nose and mouth to breathe, Katara opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling of her bathroom, determined to enter a daze and zone out until she wasn't worried anymore.

Once her fingers' wrinkles had wrinkles, Katara finally accepted that it was time for her to get dressed.

As she dressed, she could hear movement in the room next to her's— Zuko's room. Listening intently, she couldn't hear anything else. Looking at the wall that separated them, Katara stared at it forlornly. "It'll finally be over today. Then I can concentrate on what needs to be done."

When she returned from Ember Island, she found Sokka waiting for her in her room and he proceeded to ambush her with information. While she was away, he had managed to grab a look at more documents. Apparently, he figured out where Ozai liked to keep all of his war materials and worked his way into acting as an assistant for the maid who regularly cleaned Fire Lord Ozai's dwellings. She was elderly and not very attentive, so she never noticed when Sokka lingered in the room a little longer than she did, or that some of her keys disappeared momentarily.

His first instincts were right. Fire Lord Ozai was planning to finally expand further into the Earth Kingdom, with Omashu on the top of his list. Iroh's words swirled around in Katara's memory.

'_The ships could be of better use abroad… gaining new territory…'_

With this information, Katara was able to send a hidden message to Haku, the Water Tribe girl working in the brothel where Katara had momentarily stayed before she was brought to the palace. She knew Haku would relay the message straight to the Southern Water Tribe, to her father without too much hassle. It had been dangerous, though. Katara was nearly caught by a guard as she snuck into the hawkery where all of the palace's messenger hawks were housed. She managed to quickly duck in and out, the bird she had chosen thankfully remaining silent throughout the entire exchange.

While she had been up all night, the hawk perched on her windowsill. The attached message was from Haku. It was short, cryptic, and effective. She managed to perceive its meaning, though. Her warning had been received and her father, Hakoda, and the other Water Tribe officials were contacting the Earth King of Omashu to warn of an impending invasion attempt.

Glancing towards the window again, Katara saw that the sun had steadily risen, washing over the entire landscape with yellow light. She knew that all of the firebenders around the world would awaken or had already done so. That explained the movement she heard from Zuko's room. Of course, like Katara, Zuko was probably anxious and couldn't get much sleep. Katara stood in front of the wall and pressed her palm against it. She felt an irregularity and knit her eyebrows together.

"What is that?"

She smoothed her palm across the wall's surface horizontally, feeling that tiny bump again. Aligning her hand with the bump, she moved her hand around it, discovering that it wasn't a bump at all. It was a vertical line. A seam that ran the length of the wall. It was virtually undetectable by sight. The only way someone would find it was by touching it.

Biting down on her lower lip, Katara began pressing against it but nothing happened. She tried pulling on it but there was really nothing for her to grab and she ended up hurting her fingers in vain. Even more frustrated, she smacked the expanse of wall directly adjacent to the seam and jumped back when the panel opened towards her. Katara opened the panel further, curiosity burning within her and was severely disappointed when she saw a rack of clothes facing her.

"Really?" she muttered, "It's a hidden closet? Well that was anti-climactic…"

Reaching forward to browse the clothes, she frowned when she noticed that they were men's clothes. She grabbed one of the articles of clothing and pulled it towards her. When she saw what it was, she hastily put it back in place, recognition dawning.

"That's Zuko's cloak."

She pushed apart the clothing and saw another wall. Confused, she pushed at it, surprised at how easily it moved. Once she caught a glimpse of what was beyond the wall, she grabbed it and closed it once more. Katara quickly fixed the clothes she had pushed apart and slammed the panel close, slumping against her wall.

"This is Zuko's armoire. That led into his room." She shook her head. "It's like something out of Gran-Gran's crazy stories she used to tell Sokka and me when we were little… but maybe it could come in handy later. Even though I don't know why it would be helpful to be able to sneak into Zuko's room… Agh! It doesn't matter. That's not what's important right now. I need to find out when the Agni Kai's happening. I don't want to bother Zuko, though… maybe Ty Lee or Iroh would know."

Katara hurried out of the room and nearly collided with what seemed like a parade of servants rushing through the hallway in every direction. Their footsteps sounded like light thunder; it was the loudest she had ever heard the halls of the palace. Quickly moving out of their way, Katara glued herself to the wall, staying close to it as she walked towards the garden in hopes of finding Iroh. She heard snippets of gossip and exasperated complaints among the servants. Apparently, nobility were beginning to enter the palace for the Agni Kai and had taken it upon themselves to use the many servants in the palace to their advantage.

One complaint in particular had stopped Katara in her tracks.

"I can't believe that snobby Commander is making me run and go get him Fire Flakes _now_. The Agni Kai is starting in fifteen minutes! I was hoping to be able to sneak in and watch from the back."

_Fifteen minutes_.

Katara bolted from the spot, running across the vast courtyard in order to enter the other wing of the palace. She twisted and turned through the hallways before she saw the grand double doors she knew housed the huge arena used for Agni Kai. Katara could hear a low rumble from inside, signifying that the audience had already been seated and situated. She made a beeline for them when someone harshly grabbed her shoulder and threw her aside.

Stumbling, Katara whirled around and glared at whoever touched her. Her jaw dropped when she saw Azula.

The Fire Nation Princess was dressed in armor, a spiky set of shoulder pads perched over her neck. Her hair was held in place, in a neat bun, by a golden hairpiece decorated with two flames. The young princess glared at her with such hatred that Katara couldn't even begin to understand it.

"You understand that you're not permitted in there, right? I mean, Agni Kai are reserved for the nobility and high class citizens of the Fire Nation. How dare you think yourself of such importance? I don't recall you being invited."

"Azula, I just came to support Zuko and—"

Azula held a hand up, her manicured nails shining dangerously. Katara couldn't help but stare at their points. Azula glowered coldly at Katara and Katara fought to suppress a shiver. "That's _Princess_ Azula to you, you filthy whore." She smirked. "Guards!"

Immediately, two Fire Nation men dressed in intimidating armor stood behind Azula.

"Make sure this peasant doesn't find her way into the arena. Under no circumstances is she to be let in. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Princess," they answered.

Azula stalked past Katara and walked through the double doors, allowing Katara a glimpse of the room. It was cast in an unearthly glow from the torches located across the room. The low rumble she had previously heard amplified into a roar from the crowd. It was like a glimpse into hell. As soon as she processed everything, the doors closed behind Azula and Katara was left there, watched by the two guards. Ignoring them, she moved towards the door but one of the guards grabbed her arm.

Katara instinctively jerked her arm out of his reach. "Let me go!"

"You're not getting in there."

The two guards each grabbed an arm and began dragging her away from the arena.

Katara continued to struggle until someone called out her name. She looked up and saw Asha walking towards them.

"May I ask what's happening here?"

"Princess Azula has made it clear that this girl is prohibited from entering the arena and from watching the Agni Kai."

Asha frowned and her tongue clicked almost inaudibly. "Katara, it's useless. Go back to your room and wait until the Agni Kai's finished."

"No! I can't! I have to go and see Zuko!" Katara began thrashing against the guard again.

Asha took Katara from the guards and pulled her to the side. "Katara, there's nothing you can do. They're not going to listen to you and disobey a direct order from Azula." Pursing her lips, Asha continued, "I am able to attend the duel and I promise that I'll try to find you as soon as possible and tell you what happened. You have my word."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Katara began, "Thank you—"

"But you need to know… I'm worried about your attachment to Prince Zuko. It's… very strange."

Gaping at her, Katara shook her head, flustered. "I… we… we're friends."

"You have to know that it certainly doesn't seem like that. You two act as if… you act differently than a lot of us would expect from a prince and his servant— even if you _are_ his concubine. Just tread lightly." Asha glanced at the doors. "Go to your room. I'll be sure to meet you once it's over."

Katara nodded in agreement and watched Asha pass through the double doors, a loud gong going off as she entered the arena. The gong instigated a loud roar among the spectators. Then, the guards closed the doors and Katara was left alone in silence. Defeated, she trudged her way back to her room.

* * *

Zuko rolled his shoulders back, trying to loosen up his muscles that continually tensed up. He took several breaths. He tried to ignore everyone watching. He especially tried to ignore the ever present smirk on his sister's face.

"It's going to be fine, Zuko. You'll take down this guy with one good hit and it'll be over."

As much as he tried to tell himself that everything would be all right, he couldn't shake that nagging feeling that something was off. He couldn't sleep all night. And even though it was tradition to hold an Agni Kai closer to noon, to coincide with the peak of the sun, he was given notification that it would happen soon after sunrise. He was disappointed. He had hoped to talk to Katara for a little bit… as much as he'd hate to admit it, talking with her often helped him clear his mind. But he knew that she tended to sleep in and didn't bother knocking on her door. As soon as sunrise came, he was escorted to the arena. There, he was required to remove his shirt and take his place at his side of the arena.

He stood at his end of the arena, his back to his opponent. Kneeling down on one knee, he rest his forehead against the one that was propped up, time moving painfully slow until he heard the sound of the gong that signified the start of the Agni Kai.

Taking in another quick breath, Zuko rose and turned around to face his opponent, settling into a defensive position.

Once his eyes fell on his opponent, Zuko was sure that his heart stopped.

He had never expected to be looking at the irate face of the Fire Lord, of his _father_. Ozai glowered at his son with eyes of frozen gold. There was nothing in his expression except the utmost fury.

Immediately dropping his arms, Zuko demanded, "What's going on? I should be fighting the general!"

"You disrespected _me_, Prince Zuko. You will fight _me_."

"I meant no disrespect! I was acting in the best interests of the Fire Nation!" Zuko clenched his fists. "Please, I don't want to fight my father. I _won't_ fight my father."

Sneering at him, Ozai replied coolly, "You're not fighting you're father, stupid boy. You are dueling your Fire Lord."

"I can't do that. Please accept my apologies."

"I'll do no such thing. You will fight for your honor."

Gritting his teeth, Zuko fell onto his knees, bowing his head down. "I refuse to fight my Fire Lord and my father."

"Get up and fight! Is this what I've raised? A _coward_? Get up and fight for your honor!"

"Please accept my apologies!" Zuko repeated desperately.

"Pathetic. You will learn respect. And suffering shall be your teacher!"

Hearing footsteps, Zuko looked up to see what his father was doing. The world disappeared in a blaze of light and heat and the macabre, never ending sound of his scream.

* * *

Katara paced nervously in her room, waiting to hear the results of the Agni Kai between Zuko and the general. She knew she told Asha she would wait for her, but something was wrong. She knew it. She could feel it in her soul. The sky was also darkening outside of her window. Katara may not be an expert at Fire Nation customs, but she knew Zuko. There's no way the Agni Kai would last this long… unless…

Unable to take it any longer, Katara stormed out of her bedroom and into the empty hallway. Then she froze, lost in the pitch black. She bit her lip nervously. She knew this was a bad idea. Ever since the last infiltration, the palace hallways were no longer kept lit so that intruders couldn't find their way around. She decided that she would do what she could to see Zuko anyway. Katara hurried back into her bedroom and grabbed the small candle on the empty desk and held it to the sconce on the wall, lighting it.

Then, she made her way back out into the empty hallway, turning several corridors and crossing the courtyard to come to the double doors where the dueling arena was located. With a deep breath, Katara pulled the doors open. Her blue eyes widened in disbelief when she found it to be completely empty, deserted. A horrible smell lingered and she nearly gagged. It smelled of rotten flesh… _burning_ flesh. Dread filled every fiber of her being and she slammed the doors closed.

"Katara?"

Katara dropped her candle, the small stick of wax hitting the floor with a heavy thud and the light immediately disappearing. She held her breath and kept quiet, inching backwards, away from where she perceived the sound to come from. Katara felt the hard surface of the wall press against her back and the soft thump that accompanied the contact. Her eyes widened in panic. She heard rustling and knew movement was coming in her direction so she dove to the floor.

She bit back a yelp when someone tugged hard on her braid, forcing her upright.

"Katara? Why am I holding your braid?"

Nearly sagging in relief, Katara swatted at her brother's arm, recognizing his voice now that they were closer. "Let go!" she hissed.

"Sorry." Sokka dropped her locks and Katara pet the back of her head with annoyance. A dim light glowed between them as Sokka held up a candle of his own. He bent down to pick hers up. "What are you doing out?"

"I came to find out what happened during the Agni Kai. Asha promised that she would let me know what happened as soon as it was over but it's been hours. Sokka, do you know?"

At her brother's uncanny silence, Katara felt her heart drop like a stone. "Sokka?" she asked timidly. "What's wrong?"

"I heard a couple of the servants talking." A sigh. "It's not good, Katara. I'm not sure of the details, but from what I heard, Zuko refused to fight his opponent. His opponent didn't take any mercy and well…" Sokka's hand found his sister's shoulder and patted it comfortingly.

"W-why would he refuse to fight? We… He's been training ever since he found out. Zuko was determined to beat this guy. He was positive he was going to win. Why would he—"

Katara's rambling collapsed into shaky breathing and Sokka could feel her shoulders shudder underneath his hand.

"Katara, there's more. His opponent… it was his dad. It was Fire Lord Ozai."

It felt as if Katara's eyes would bulge out of her skull. His own father? How could a father inflict that upon his own children?

"Why didn't Asha…?"

"Immediately after, Ozai declared that everyone return home and await for the public announcement of his son's humiliation and further punishment." A heartbeat. "All of the servants were ordered to return to their dwellings. I guess Asha had no choice. I just snuck out. I was on my way to your room. I think it's time that we leave, Katara. Things are getting more dangerous."

Katara's jaw dropped.

"Katara, things are quiet tonight. It's not going to be like that for long. If we don't leave now… it'll be a while before we get another chance, _if_ we get another chance."

"Sokka, I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? Of course you can! Katara, it's not safe anymore. I'm getting you home! Dad and the council can figure out another way to stop the Fire Nation. We've already helped prepare Omashu against an invasion. That's bound to slow them down for a little bit."

"Then you go! I'm not leaving Zuko."

"This is about Zuko? Katara, get over your crush and—"

"Sokka, shut up!" Katara shrugged his hand off of her shoulder. "You have _no_ idea what he's been through. His mother is gone because of that madman on the throne and it's the same guy who just…"

"Katara, I get it. He's a victim as much as the rest of the world, but I made a promise to Dad to look after you."

"I'm a big girl, Sokka. I can take care of myself. And we both know that you should get out of here and rejoin dad and work on another plan to stop the Fire Nation. But my place is here." At Sokka's silence, Katara asked quietly, "Are you mad?"

"No… this is just like you, Katara. It's like when you saw that injured otter penguin while we were sledding and had to keep it as a pet after we healed it."

"Zuko's not a pet," she began.

"I know, I know, I know. But it's the same mentality." Sokka sighed. "Okay. I'll let you stay. I'll stay in the city for a little while longer but I can't stay for too long in case someone from the palace tries looking for me. I'll be gone within a week. Once I leave, you need to promise to send a messenger hawk periodically to let us know how you're doing. I'll go to that brothel you stayed at, try and get work as a dishwasher. Meet me there the first chance you get. If you can't get out, I expect a messenger hawk. If you want to find Zuko, he's in the infirmary. I'm going to put this candle out. I know my way around. Feel along this wall; take two rights and then it should be the fourth door on your left."

Katara threw herself at Sokka, ignoring the grunt as she collided with him, hugging him tightly, a gesture he reciprocated.

"Just stay safe, okay?"

"You, too."

"Remember: I need to hear from you or we're sending troops to storm the palace." Sokka squeezed before he let go, moving away from her touch. "I'll see you soon, sis!"

There was the sound of a puff of air, then nothing but inky blackness swimming in her vision. Then, Katara was left alone in the hallway. After a heartbeat's moment, she hurried to the infirmary, worriedly murmuring Zuko's name, her voice echoing around her in the creepily empty hallways.

Tears stung her eyes when she reached the infirmary and hesitantly opened the doors in front of her, closing them behind her as she entered. Katara didn't know why she was crying. She didn't know anything. For all she knew, Zuko was okay, intact, _alive_ and out celebrating with Mai. For once, she hoped that Mai was monopolizing Zuko's time. She walked into the room and choked back a sob when she saw General Iroh sitting by a bed. She tried to back out of the room but she hit the closed doors instead. Her hand rose to her mouth and tears fell.

"No…"

The soft, broken sound took the older man out of his reverie and he glanced at her with wizened eyes, eyes that held insurmountable heartbreak. Sighing softly, Iroh stood from his seat and beckoned Katara over. Struggling to overcome the fear of what she might find lying in the bed, Katara meekly stood at the foot of the bed. Her head was bowed and she watched her tears fall and plop onto the sheets below her, darkening the fabric with their wetness.

"Miss Katara. What are you doing out of bed?" Iroh's tone was bland, only holding the slightest hint of concern and curiosity.

"I…" she sniffled, "I didn't know what happened. No one would tell me what happened. Azula wouldn't let me in and I had to know…"

"My dear, if you truly wish to know, then I suggest you take a look."

Katara lifted her head and wanted to crumble. Zuko was just lying there. But there were heavy bandages all over the left side of his face and towards his ear. Her feet carried her to his side and she reached down to take his hand. She wanted to gag from the slight scent of burnt flesh.

"Zuko," she murmured softly. Gently reaching across, her other hand brushed back hair from the right side of his face. Katara tenderly ran her fingers through the shaggy, dark hair. Turning back towards Iroh, she asked, "How bad is it?"

Iroh's face set into a grimace, his lips pressed into a hard line. "Prince Zuko received a direct shot to his left eye. He just managed to turn his head in time. I'm sure that my brother intended a full frontal assault. The burns are deep. It was not a kind match. I could not bear to watch… but I could see the light behind my eyes. It was not a single blast, but a continuous stream."

"A stream? But how did Zuko let that happen?" Katara knew that Zuko was more than agile enough to dodge an attack like that.

"He was kneeling, begging for forgiveness. He could not fight his Fire Lord, his father." A heavy sigh escaped through his lips. "If you'll excuse me, Miss Katara, I think I would like to retire to my room. I simply did not wish for my nephew to be left alone. I trust that you'll stay by his side."

Katara nodded fiercely. She took Iroh's vacated chair and pulled it up to Zuko's side, never relinquishing the hand she held on to.

"You're a very good friend."

"Zuko's a good person. This is the least I can do." Katara looked away from Zuko to glance at Iroh. "Good night, Iroh."

A wry smile appeared on Iroh's face. "I'm afraid not." He went through the infirmary doors and Katara was left alone with Zuko.

The fingers of her free hand were twitching, and she fought the urge to touch his wound. Katara just wanted to do _something_. She glanced around the room, finding the empty bowl on a bedside table and a door she was sure led to a bathroom. Quickly snatching up the bowl, she hurriedly filled it up with cold water and returned to Zuko's side. Casting a furtive glance around her, she was sure that the infirmary was empty and that if everyone was listening to Fire Lord Ozai's orders; no one would walk in on her.

She bent water to surround her hands and her hands were swallowed in the characteristic healing glow. Gingerly lowering her hands, Katara began with a cursory look, not wanting to remove his bandages unless it was necessary and in case the removal would cause more damage. The water allowed her to see the chi paths in his body and the turmoil surrounding his injury. Chi was tangled up and blocked in the area around his eye. Katara had never seen this much damage. She took a look at the muscles and skin and could feel how mangled they were.

Biting her lower lip, Katara made the decision to not take off his bandages. She couldn't risk further pain or injury. Instead, she set out to heal Zuko slowly. After all, the wounds that healed slowly also healed more deeply. Taking a deep breath, Katara lowered her glowing hands towards his eye, working slowly, carefully to clear the blockage of chi and help his body mend together. She tried maneuvering through the tangles and blockages and slowly helped his muscles and nerves come back together.

Zuko stirred and Katara immediately froze. His one eye blinked open and fluttered close just as quickly. He groaned and Katara fought with indecision. Continue healing and risk him catching her waterbending or stop?

Approaching footsteps made the decision for her. Disentangling herself from the inner workings of his body, Katara finished up whatever she could, trying not to be clumsy and make the injury worse before bending the water back into the bowl and feigning sleep by resting her head on the edge of the bed.

The doors burst open and Katara jumped.

"Hmph. He's still unconscious, is he?"

Azula strode into the room and stood at the foot of the bed, staring at Zuko and Katara impassively. Her eyes slid over Katara, ignoring her. She sneered.

"Weakling." She glanced at Katara and grinned. The look chilled Katara to her bone. "I suppose he'll have to hear the big news when he wakes up. As for you, I don't know who you think you are, but there are strict orders that all servants are to remain in their dwellings. Do I have to throw you into prison?"

"Princess Azula, that will not be necessary," a strong and authoritative voice boomed.

Both girls whirled to look at the door and Katara was relieved to see General Iroh.

Azula scowled. "Fine. Have it your way. It makes no difference to me either way. I won't have to deal with these two for much longer."

She marched out of the infirmary and down the hallway, casting a cool glare at her uncle as she brushed past him. Iroh shook his head. Katara pondered her words but was distracted by Iroh.

"I came to bring these for you." He held his hands out and Katara saw thin blankets and a pillow. Iroh slowly walked to the adjacent bed and carefully laid out one of the blankets on top of the bare mattress and the other remained neatly folded on the foot of the bed. He handed the pillow to Katara. "I figured that you would not return to your room. But please, trust an old man when he says that not sleeping on a proper bed will do no favors to your back."

Katara took the pillow, giving Iroh a teary smile. "Thank you."

Iroh rest a hand on her shoulder reassuringly before leaving.

Katara took hold of Zuko's hand again, squeezing before releasing it and climbing into the bed, falling into a fatigued, dreamless sleep.

* * *

An uneasy atmosphere settled over the throne room. The men situated around the large table shifted apprehensively, everyone's eyes shifting around the room quickly. The lone female in the room sat without worries, glancing at her manicure. Everyone tried avoiding glancing at the empty seat at the table, the seat of Prince Zuko.

Finally, the imposing dark figure behind the wall of flames spoke.

"You understand, given recent events, that Prince Zuko's actions have been less than unacceptable. He's acted cowardly and in a nature most unlike Fire Nation Royalty. As of this moment, he is banished from the Fire Nation."

A quiet roar of whispers and grumblings erupted among the members of Fire Lord Ozai's war council.

"Silence!" Upon achieving his desired silence, Ozai continued smoothly, "Zuko has greatly dishonored this nation. He's dishonored _me_. In order for him to reclaim his honor, I've ordered that he be tasked with the search for the Avatar and that he is forbidden from returning to the Fire Nation and from claiming his birthright as Crown Prince until he has succeeded, for that is the only task of enough worth to prove he has regained the honor and dignity for a song of the Fire Nation. For _my_ son."

Azula smirked and relaxed as the war council stared dumbfounded at Fire Lord Ozai.

The wall of fire died and Ozai was now visible. His face was set in a stern expression, his jaw clenched and his eyebrows furrowed. His eyes were cold and hardened upon his next words. "His banishment is effective immediately."

* * *

**Acknowledgements:**

**xhollyjudy123x: **I hope this was soon enough! You're really too nice with your compliments :3 I said it before; I'll say it again. The story between Zuko and Katara really deserves so much more than a wham-bam-thank you ma'am plot. Their story is a hell of a lot more romantic than that; therefore a build-up is necessary. Ah yes, the fine line between love and hate for Zuko's scar. Unfortunately, as you saw, I did have to put him in… well since I'm not really one to sugarcoat, I put him in a hell of pain, physically and emotionally. And thank you so much for commenting on how I capture the characters! That's my greatest fear— not getting them right. Because that'd just be an atrocity, wouldn't it be?

**AnnaAza: **Aw shucks. So happy to be missed :) Well I'm happy to have provided such excellent moments. Jet… crazy, semi-loveable Jet. Yeah him and Azula are always there to mess things up for a bunch of people. That's what they do best. And your notes about Mai… I couldn't tell if you had a typo and were saying that Mai was becoming a jealous killer or simply saying that Mai was jealous and that the chapter as a whole was killer. Lol. Uh… as for the former, I wasn't aware that I was taking her to the status of jealous killer. If I am, I could work with that ;) And if the latter, well then yes, Mai is jealous. Extremely. And I doubt my chapter was killer haha, more like slightly harming :P

**Salt**: Yikes. It's been that long, huh? Well like I said before, six months is _nothing_ compared to the eighteen month hiatus I went through for a different story. Consider yourself lucky. I hope that it wasn't a hassle having to reread the entire thing :l Please say no, just to spare my fragile, writer's heart lol. Zutara will come in due time, all in due time. I promise.

Does anyone hate me? *ducks from projectile tomatoes* Wah, it had to happen okay? Haha please— read, review, and wonder.


	10. The Search Begins

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs purely to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Chapter 9: The Search Begins

* * *

**Summary: **As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty, life, and love, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

_Last Time…_

_An uneasy atmosphere settled over the throne room. The men situated around the large table shifted apprehensively, everyone's eyes shifting around the room quickly. The lone female in the room sat without worries, glancing at her manicure. Everyone tried avoiding glancing at the empty seat at the table, the seat of Prince Zuko._

_Finally, the imposing dark figure behind the wall of flames spoke._

_"You understand, given recent events, that Prince Zuko's actions have been less than unacceptable. He's acted cowardly and in a nature most unlike Fire Nation Royalty. As of this moment, he is banished from the Fire Nation."_

_A quiet roar of whispers and grumblings erupted among the members of Fire Lord Ozai's war council._

_"Silence!" Upon achieving his desired silence, Ozai continued smoothly, "Zuko has greatly dishonored this nation. He's dishonored me. In order for him to reclaim his honor, I've ordered that he be tasked with the search for the Avatar and that he is forbidden from returning to the Fire Nation and from claiming his birthright as Crown Prince until he has succeeded, for that is the only task of enough worth to prove he has regained the honor and dignity for a son of the Fire Nation. For my son."_

_Azula smirked and relaxed as the war council stared dumbfounded at Fire Lord Ozai._

_The wall of fire died and Ozai was now visible. His face was set in a stern expression, his jaw clenched and his eyebrows furrowed. His eyes were cold and hardened upon his next words. "His banishment is effective immediately."_

* * *

Zuko groaned. There was a dull ache and he couldn't relieve it. As the seconds passed, the ache intensified. It burned. It seared. This sensation was an unfamiliar kind of burn. It wasn't the same as the fire he produced and controlled. It wasn't warm and comforting, or blazing and powerful. It was cold and biting. Searing. The pain… it was slowly resurfacing. He tried to open his eyes but it only brought him more pain. Zuko heard a pained moan, but he couldn't believe that it was his own voice producing that sound.

A soft, shushing sound echoed around him and he panicked, momentarily believing himself to be under attack. He cursed the fact that he couldn't see. He was prey to whatever happened next. His entire body tensed as he prepared for the blow he was sure to come. Instead, a gentle touch moved through his hair. The fingers moved through the shaggy, dark lock with the lightness of feathers. It felt familiar and Zuko tried hard to remember who would be treating him so kindly but his mind was foggy, numbed by the pain and pain medication.

_'Could it be… Mother?'_

The chance that he could see Ursa again invigorated Zuko. His hope and desperation to catch a glimpse of his mother overshadowed everything, even common sense and the severe pain. Fighting through the pain, Zuko managed to flutter his eyes open and peek through his eyelashes, nearly recoiling from the pain that simple action caused. Before he could succumb to its intensity, a cooling, soothing sensation washed over the source of his pain— his left eye, he noted.

As the pain was slowly numbed to a bearable level, Zuko dared to open his eyes again, though he knew he should concentrate on using his right eye only. Once more, it fluttered open and he felt a tear spill out of his eye and trail down the side of his face but a gentle hand wiped it away. He managed to catch sight of a flash of blue and Zuko finally remembered.

Katara.

She was at his side, watching over him. The thought warmed him and Zuko found his right eye relaxing, the lid dropping. Just before his vision turned black, he caught another flash of blue, but it was much brighter and an icier shade of blue. It was a glow that was bright enough for him to see behind his eyelid when his eye finally closed. His fatigue usurped his curiosity to find the source of the strange light. He told himself that he was just starting to go crazy and was hallucinating from the small glimpse he had of Katara's eyes.

Katara froze, certain that Zuko had seen her healing him. She held her glowing hands above his face, ready to continue healing his wound but she wasn't sure if he was asleep. She remained immobile until she was satisfied the young man wouldn't open his eyes again. Katara stifled a yawn, having just woken up when she heard him groan in pain and tense up. She obviously didn't want him to suffer so she continued the healing that she started the night before.

As she used her bending to see into the chi paths of his body, she bit down on her lip, frustrated with how the wound was healing. She shouldn't have fallen asleep. During that time, the injury began to heal itself in such a way that was going to leave a large scar. She could try to minimize the damage but most of it was already done, especially in the area closest to his eye. The delicate skin there was far too damaged for her to work with. The ideal way to prevent scarring would be with immediate treatment or healing. She was barred from healing Zuko immediately and, of course, she couldn't reveal her waterbending. When she was finally alone with him, she stupidly fell asleep.

Continuing to berate herself for neglecting Zuko, Katara cleared up the pathways as best as she could, allowing easier passage for his chi to move through his body and nursing his destroyed skin and nerves to bridge together. For the most part, she concentrated on soothing the burn at the deeper levels of skin. It wouldn't be good to busy herself with fixing the damage at the surface if she didn't get to the source of the problem.

_'Although the _real_ source of the problem is the monster that did this,'_ she thought bitterly.

Seeing that she had done all she could do for the day, Katara let the glow die and returned the water to the bowl she kept next to Zuko's bed. She sighed heavily. Despite the heavy bandaging, she knew from her healing that this wound wouldn't heal quickly or easily. As much as she had tried to direct the flow of healing chi to the area, it was still too raw to handle the energy. Katara took the bowl to the bathroom, changed the water, and grabbed a small hand towel.

When she reached his side again, she set to work on washing him. He was still sooty and his skin had been covered in sweat from when his body went into shock in reaction to the extreme trauma of his injury. They hadn't bothered to wash or change his clothes after he had been attacked. Methodically, Katara dipped the small cloth into the water and dragged it over Zuko. First, she gently dabbed it around his face, taking extra care on his left side, making sure to avoid the dressing, before swiping the cool liquid down his neck. He was still bare-chested from the Agni Kai and so it was easy for her to clean his chest and abdomen, although she could feel the heat in her cheeks. She took the gold armbands from his upper arms and gently snaked them down and placed them on the bedside table before dipping the towel once more and wringing out the excess water.

"Planning on stealing them for later?" a cold voice asked.

Taken off guard, Katara jumped and nearly dropped the towel in the basin. She didn't turn around yet, knowing exactly whose voice echoed in the infirmary. As calmly as she could, she put the towel back in the water and turned around to face the dark haired girl in front of her.

Mai, as usual, had an impassive mask over her face but Katara took notice of her body language. The Fire Nation girl stood with impeccable posture— perhaps too impeccable. Her back was ramrod straight, as if the slightest curve would snap her spine. Her shoulders held the slightest hint of tension but perhaps the most telling sign was her hands. Mai kept them down at her sides but the fingers were curled into tight fists. With the way Fire Nation noblewomen kept their nails, Katara wouldn't be surprised if blood began dripping down her hands from the points puncturing her palms.

"Of course not," Katara said. "They were in the way. If you'd like to make sure that I don't steal them, you can take them yourself."

"And have you accuse me of stealing them myself? No thanks."

The two young women glared daggers at each other, but Katara knew that it wouldn't be too farfetched if Mai had actual daggers hidden within her robes. She had learned enough from her time with Ty Lee.

"What do you even think you're doing here?"

"I'm the only one besides General Iroh that's even cared to check on him. I've been here all night. Where have _you_ been?" Katara shot back acerbically. Her tone surprised her. She never spoke that way, even when Sokka was doing his very best to annoy her.

Mai narrowed her golden eyes at Katara dangerously. "Just who do you think you're talking to? I could have you thrown in prison just for talking to me like that," she threatened. "And who do you think everyone would be more inclined to believe? I'm Fire Nation nobility, niece of the warden of a Fire Nation prison, and _his_ girlfriend," she said, gesturing towards Zuko. "You? You're just a dirty servant. A bought whore."

Katara could feel her blood boil with every word Mai said and she fought hard to control her emotions, not wanting every pipe in the palace to burst and flood the place. She took a slow breath and clenched her jaw. Through grit teeth, Katara apologized, "You're right, ma'am. I'm sorry for my disrespectful behavior. Would you like me to vacate the room so that you can stay with him?"

Mai ignored her words and set her gaze on the sleeping prince. It didn't appear as though what she saw surprised her. "Just like Azula said," she murmured. She turned back to Katara but it looked as though she were looking straight through her. "Don't bother. I'm leaving."

She turned to leave the room and Katara didn't know how to react. They were dating… shouldn't she have shown… _something_? At least some kind of sign to show that she was concerned about Zuko— that she cared.

"Would you like me to tell Prince Zuko you visited?"

Mai hesitated then turned her head sideways, just staring over her shoulder. "Don't bother," she repeated. Then she walked away, her gait unaffected. Her calmness dumbfounded Katara.

"Why… _How_ can she be so apathetic?"

"Probably because she's Fire Nation nobility and apathy usually comes with the package."

Katara whipped her head down to the bed, surprised to see Zuko awake, his face twisted into a grimace as he struggled to open his eyes. He shifted to pull himself up into a sitting position and Katara immediately took hold of him around the waist and shoulders and helped pull him up.

"You heard that?" she asked meekly, her eyes downcast. Katara felt embarrassed, almost guilty that Zuko heard that exchange. After all, who was she to talk that way to someone who was clearly of a higher status than she was? And over a boy that she had no sort of claim over. Katara knew she was more than out of line.

"Most of it," he grunted out. He raised an arm to bring it to the left side of his face and Katara immediately grabbed his hand with both of hers.

"Don't touch it! Zuko, you're just going to end up hurting yourself even more."

"Pain and suffering will be sure to teach me a lesson," he muttered bitterly.

Katara frowned at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," he snapped gruffly. Zuko turned away from Katara and roughly snatched his arm out of her grasp.

Katara couldn't stop the hurt expression that appeared on her face but she hurried to cover it with a look of indignation and huffed, grabbing the bowl of water and shoved it into his hands, the water sloshing over the edge. Zuko stared at it and at her in bewilderment.

"You can take care of yourself if you're feeling so hot-tempered." Katara stopped before passing the foot of his bed and turned around. "You're welcome, by the way."

"Wait, Katara—"

Zuko put the bowl back on the bedside table and pulled away the blanket, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He stood unsteadily and Katara, in spite of her anger, found herself turning towards him to help him but he held a hand up to stop her.

"I'm fine. And you're right. I'm sorry. Thank you for taking care of me."

"And spending the night in here," she added.

Zuko raised his eyebrows and immediately winced in pain. Even though it was bandaged, Katara knew that the action pulled against the burned skin. Zuko stopped himself from touching the wound and instead tried to focus on Katara again, his head spinning from the pain.

"You stayed the whole night?"

Blushing, Katara shrugged. "I was worried. And I knew that if I didn't, your Uncle Iroh would've spent the rest of the night in here instead." She smiled at Zuko softly and joked, "My back can handle sleeping in a chair a lot better than he can."

The corners of Zuko's mouth fell into a frown. "You should've slept on one of the spare beds."

"Now you sound like him."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Biting her lip, Katara cautiously stepped towards Zuko. He flinched when he saw her hands coming closer.

"I won't hurt you," she reassured him.

Zuko's right eye closed and he nodded. She gently placed one of her hands on the right side of his face, silently letting him know what she was planning to do. Very lightly, she placed her other hand on the left side of his face. She did it so tenderly; her hand only seemed to hover on top of the bandages. Katara's fingers lightly danced along the bandages, slowing down and lingering over where Zuko's eye was.

"Does this hurt?" she whispered.

"Not really," he whispered back.

Katara was shocked by the sensation of his warm breath on her thumb. She wasn't aware that she had placed it on top of his lips. When Zuko spoke, the hot air of his breath tickled the pad of her thumb. Now that she was conscious of it, she took notice of the soft texture of his lips. Katara thanked the spirits that his eye was closed and he couldn't see her blush. She took her hands down and not knowing what to do next, Katara did what came naturally.

"Take off your pants."

Zuko's eye shot open and redness crept up his neck onto his cheeks. "What?" he choked out.

"Unless you're feeling better, I was going to finish what I was doing before Mai came in."

"Which was what exactly?" Zuko's voice shot up an octave. He hurriedly cleared his throat and avoided eye contact with her. "Because it doesn't exactly sound normal."

Gesturing at his body, Katara rolled her eyes. "You're still covered in sweat and filth. I was wiping you down." A glint shone in her eyes. "It's not like I haven't seen a man without his pants before, Zuko." Sokka eating in his underwear whenever she washed or sewed his pants counted in her mind. And the dummy Yugoda used to teach her and the other waterbenders healing with. But Zuko didn't need to know that.

"You… _what?_"

Katara grinned and Zuko scowled, realizing that she was teasing him. Whether he was scowling because he didn't like thinking about Katara seeing another man without pants or because she was teasing him, he didn't know. He scoffed and crossed his arms sternly.

"What? I'm just joking, Zuko." The grin never faded on Katara's face. "Quit being so uptight and serious."

"I'm _not_ uptight."

"Sure you aren't." Katara raised an eyebrow at him and smiled smugly.

Zuko groaned. "Why are you doing this?"

"I guess I like teasing you."

"Can't say that I'm used to it… unless you count Azula constantly telling me how she's the better firebender."

"… I don't. That's not teasing; it's just being mean."

"It's actually just Azula being Azula."

"I can't argue with you on that," Katara quipped. She gave him a small smile that Zuko slowly returned. "But seriously, you need to wash up. You're filthy."

Katara only smiled innocently as Zuko made a face at her. He was set to return her teasing with a witty retort but it died as soon as he saw his uncle enter the infirmary. Katara noticed this and turned to see who Zuko was looking at. She hesitantly bowed before Iroh and moved to the side to give the two their privacy.

"Miss Katara, please. That is not necessary." Iroh kept his tone light but there was something off in the delivery. It was stilted, forced. Katara only nodded in return and Iroh turned his attention back to his nephew. "Zuko, I have some news to share with you…"

"About what?"

"My brother… your father made a declaration while you were recuperating from your injury. It seems as though you have been banished from the Fire Nation—"

"_Banished_?!"

"— and that you are stripped of your official titles as Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and as heir to the Fire Lord. Your are tasked with continuing the search for the Avatar—"

"The Avatar?! He hasn't been seen in over a hundred of years! It's a wild goose chase!" Zuko threw his hands around wildly to gesticulate his anger and disbelief. Katara shrunk away, frowning.

Iroh held a hand up to silence his nephew.

"—you may not return until you have completed your task and regained your honor, accomplished only by finding the Avatar. You will be given your own ship and crew to aid you in your journey. Fire Lord Ozai's orders are effective immediately."

"…'Effective immediately'…" Zuko echoed, completely shocked. He lowered himself back onto the bed, his eye staring blankly at the floor.

"Do not worry, nephew. I have elected to join you and offer my assistance in any way."

"Banished… stripped of my title… of my _honor_."

"Prince Zuko, everything will be all right."

"How can you say that?!" Zuko held his head in his hands, his elbows resting on his knees. "My father burned me… my _father._ And now I'm being sent on a pointless journey around the world to find someone that's probably dead! _Nothing_ is all right!"

Katara hugged her arms to her chest, biting on her lower lip uncertainly. "Zuko…" She took a step towards him but he recoiled.

"Don't touch me!"

Katara backed away, hurt. Iroh looked at the two teenagers with sympathy but before he could say anything, Zuko stormed out of the infirmary.

"Zuko!" Katara yelled. She made to run after him, but Iroh placed a firm hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him imploringly, but he shook his head.

"He needs to be alone and deal with this himself, just for a little bit. The two of us will help him throughout this journey. My nephew will make it through this. He will be all right."

As hard as she wanted to believe him, Katara couldn't help the sinking feeling in her stomach, her eyes full of concern as she looked at the threshold of the infirmary.

Iroh left Katara to find his nephew and attempt to get the newly banished prince to calm down. Katara meandered through the halls of the palace before she found herself at the courtyard across from the hall where Ozai's concubines' rooms were. Katara's gaze alighted on the first door— Asha's room. She hurried across the courtyard and rapped her knuckles against the door. After a few moments of silence, Katara knocked on the door again, impatience creeping its way into her mood. With a sigh, Katara recalled that on her first day in the palace, Asha allowed her entrance into her room whenever Katara needed her.

She gripped the doorknob and twisted it, pushing it open hesitantly, and surprised that it had been left unlocked. She peered inside before she was left dumbstruck at the sight before her. Katara remained frozen at the threshold of the empty room. It was immaculate, left with nothing to indicate that anyone had been living in this room just the night before. Hurrying into the room, Katara looked through all of the drawers and closets, left with nothing inside of them. Asha's bathroom was also devoid of any personal items. The colorful and fragrant collection of perfumes and oils that previously lined the edges of the large, ornate tub had vanished.

"She's not here."

Katara walked back into the main chamber. Another woman who appeared to be a few years younger than Asha stood in the center of the room, a sad smile on her face. She was unlike many of the other Fire Nation women in that her ebony hair was cut short, close to her head with a few strands tousled in every direction. It was even shorter than some of the men's hair. She was very petite and appeared fragile. Still, Katara recognized her as one of many of Fire Lord Ozai's concubines.

"I'm sorry?" Katara asked.

"Asha. She's not here. She was forced to vacate the premises late last night. It happened quickly. She didn't even have time to come back here and pack any of her belongings… any necessities. She was just thrown out like a stray dog," the woman said bitterly.

Katara's eyes widened in disbelief. "You can't be serious!"

The woman raised an eyebrow at Katara. "You're the prince's girl." She slowly circled Katara, surveying her. "Katara." Clicking her tongue, she stood in front of Katara once more, her arms crossed. "You're the new girl with the peculiar relationship with Prince Zuko. Asha was worried about you."

"She told me so last night. She thought I was… that Zuko and I had a weird relationship."

"Believe me, girl, she wasn't the only one. The former heir to the throne barely cracked a smile around his taciturn witch of a girlfriend. Although I suppose since his banishment, I should say _ex_-girlfriend." A dark eyebrow arched at her. "Then you show up and he's smiling and laughing in public. You must be a very special girl. Asha took quite the liking to you, too." Once more, the woman's eyes appraised Katara.

"Did you know she had a little girl? She would be around your age by now. Suffice it to say, Fire Lord Ozai noticed Asha on one of his travels to the outer Fire Nation villages and decided that he wanted her here. For the safety of her little girl, Asha left her behind to come here. I guess you reminded her of her daughter."

Katara thought she hated Fire Lord Ozai simply for instigating the war. She hated him more after the loss of her mother. Since her time in the Fire Nation, she had convinced herself that nothing could have deepened her hatred of him and her determination to see him fall— especially after watching what Zuko had to go through. But her loathing reached a new level.

"How could he take such pleasure in separating so many mothers from their children?" she whispered.

"You have a lot to learn. He could care less as long as the end suits his needs." The woman glanced around the room. "Asha is gone. And she's not coming back. A hidden blessing if you ask me, as long as she was simply removed from the palace."

"Would it really be that easy?"

The woman frowned. "Probably not. Fire Lord Ozai most likely ensured that Asha would never see her daughter again the minute he kicked her out. In any case, here's a word of advice: leave this life the first chance you get. You're still new; you can still come out of this unscathed. Prince Zuko's too deeply involved. You'll end up getting hurt."

Katara bristled at her words. "I can take care of myself and make my own decisions."

"I'm trying to help you make the _right_ decision. Prince Zuko may be as much of a victim as anyone else, but the boy's practically cursed. Every woman that cares for him ends up gone. It's in your best interest to stay away from him and stop this schoolgirl attachment you have for him. It's what Asha wished to tell you last night after the Agni Kai. She didn't get a chance to tell you so _I_ am." The woman turned to leave the room.

"Wait! How do you know all of this?"

The woman didn't turn around but she stopped shortly before reaching the door. "I was there. I saw him send her away last night. I was Asha's best friend. We came from the same village. And I'm honoring her wishes by trying to keep you safe. It's also my duty as the chief concubine to look after the new girls."

"You took Asha's place?"

"I didn't betray her, if that's what you're asking. You should know by now, Katara. More power doesn't get you anything in the Fire Nation except for a larger target on your back. I hope you make the right decision."

"I know I am."

"You truly care for Prince Zuko, then?"

"He's my friend."

"And you're certain that he cares about you?"

Katara hesitated for the slightest of breaths.

"If you have to question it, then you should definitely question your decision." The woman left the room.

"Wait!" Katara ran out of the room and down the hall. "Wait! Please, do you have any idea where Asha might be?"

"I don't. I have no idea what the Fire Lord had planned for her when he threw her out. It's not safe to go looking for her."

"Why don't you stop telling me what's best for me and tell me what I need to know? I thought you were her best friend! Don't you _want_ to know if she's okay? I'm going to ignore your advice anyway, so I'd rather we just skip that part," Katara snapped.

The woman recoiled before smiling wryly at her. "I'm beginning to see why Asha had such a fondness for you. You're very spirited, Katara. As for Asha's whereabouts, I can't be certain, but I believe that Ozai may have sent her straight to the streets to fend for herself. You're better off looking for her in the rougher part of the capital. I wouldn't recommend it, though."

"Where do you think the Fire Lord found me?" Katara retorted.

"In that case, give Asha my best."

Just as the woman began stalking away once more, Katara asked, "What's your name?"

"You can call me Ara."

"Ara?"

Ara looked back at Katara somberly. "Asha is my older sister. We were taken together. If you find her, please tell her to live well and to send my love to my niece."

* * *

Katara navigated her way through the crowded, humid atmosphere of the slums of the Fire Nation Capital City. By now, she had been able to acclimate and reintegrate herself into this part of society quickly, no longer the wide eyed girl she was when she was first dropped off nearly a month ago. No one gave her a second glance. She made sure to keep the cloak securely tucked around her and the hood up. She didn't want to attract any attention.

She had passed by the dilapidated building she knew served as the Freedom Fighters' base. She cringed thinking about her last encounter with the Freedom Fighters' leader, Jet. Katara couldn't be sure, but she thought she had caught a glimpse of him as she hurried by the building. Apparently, he managed to get away from wherever they were keeping him on Ember Island. Sokka and she really regretted involving them into their plans.

_'At least I managed to get out of that one.'_

Finally, Katara's eyes alighted on the brothel that had housed her until her move to the palace. If Asha really was thrown into the streets, this would be the first place she'd go to. She knew from conversations with Katara that the girls here looked out for each other and it would be a springboard to get back home. At least, Katara hoped that that was Asha's train of thought.

Pushing through the heavy red curtains and into the empty brothel, Katara made a beeline towards the rooms upstairs, where she knew the girls spent the day sleeping before working for the night. Heading for the room she knew had Haku's bed, Katara opened the door, ignoring the protests of the two other girls she had woken up. Haku's bed was empty.

"Where's Haku? I need to speak with her!"

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Little girl, what do you think gives you the right to talk to us like that?"

Katara pursed her lips, realizing that these girls were new. "I don't have time for this. Where's Haku?!"

"Katara?"

Katara turned and saw Sokka standing in the doorway. "Sokka?!"

"Hey! Dishwasher, get out of here!" One of the girls threw a pillow in the direction of the doorway and Sokka easily avoided it.

He grabbed Katara's arm and pulled her out of the room, closing the door behind them. He led her up another flight of stairs into the attic where Katara knew the owner kept inventory.

"You forgot, didn't you?"

"Sokka, I—"

"You got wrapped up in whatever trouble Zuko got wrapped up in and decided to fix everything for him. You forgot that I told you I would meet you back here if you were coming back with me. You _forgot_ why you're here in the first place."

Katara averted her gaze from her brother's as they entered the attic. "Sokka, I'm sorry."

"Later. We have more important things to deal with. Since you completely ignored me when you walked in the door, I figured that this is what you came for."

The two siblings entered the attic, stocked with piles of crates. From behind one of the piles, Haku came out, her grey eyes accusatory. "Sokka, what the hell do you think you're doing? I told you that no one's supposed to come up here."

Katara stepped forward. "Haku… is Asha here?"

Haku's eyes widened. "Katara, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the palace?"

"I was told that something happened to one of my friends in the palace. I thought that this would be the first place she would go. Please, is Asha here?"

There was rustling behind a pile of crates and a heavy thump. Haku ran back behind the crate. When she reemerged, she had one of Asha's arms slung over her shoulders and one of her arms wrapped around the woman's waist, supporting her as she limped out.

"Asha…" Katara's voice broke.

The older woman's beautiful face was marred by horrid looking discolorations. Dark purples and blacks spotted her face and Katara could have sworn she saw a bruise in the shape of a hand wrapping around Asha's exposed forearm.

"Katara." Asha attempted to smile but winced when the movement caused a cut in her lip to reopen. "You're okay."

"What happened?" Katara breathed. She rushed towards Asha, helping Haku support her. "I just found out that you had been thrown out of the palace."

"Fire Lord Ozai was so angry after the Agni Kai. I was the object of his aggression."

Upon further inspection of Asha, Katara could see that her clothes were also singed and she had burns on her forearms— defensive wounds. Her eyes narrowed and her lips formed a tight line.

"Sokka, hurry and bring me some water," Katara ordered, her voice grave. Immediately, Sokka followed his little sister's orders, recognizing the tone of voice.

"Katara, don't worry, Haku's already cleaned my wounds."

Haku interrupted before Katara could answer. "You're a healer, aren't you?"

Ash looked between Haku and Katara, both alarmed and confused. Katara shook her head, deflecting any questions Asha had.

Sokka came back in, the water sloshing around the large bowl. He carried the bowl to Katara. She raised her hands and water flew from the bowl and coated her hands like gloves before glowing an icy blue. Methodically, Katara bent the water over Asha's face, healing the bruises and cuts. It appeared as though the water were merely washing away stage paint from an actor's face. Katara continued towards Asha's forearms, taking time to heal the burns and bruises there.

"Anywhere else?" she asked softly.

Asha shook her head but Haku answered, "Her torso. I think the bastard may have broken a rib."

Katara exhaled forcefully through her nose. That was the only sign of her anger as she moved her hands there, sensing the broken bone and attempting to manipulate it back into place and expediting the healing process. She returned the water to the bowl and sighed.

"That's as much as I can accomplish. Her body will do the rest."

Asha looked at Katara with wide eyes. "You're a Water Tribe girl."

"I am."

"You're working against Ozai."

It wasn't a question. Katara nodded. "My brother and I were sent by the leaders of our tribes to do this. Haku is our Fire Nation contact."

"Then… Zuko…"

Katara's eyebrows furrowed. "As far as he's concerned, I consider him as much of a victim as anyone else Ozai has terrorized."

"You're not stringing him along?"

"I could never," Katara insisted.

"He's a good boy. He doesn't deserve that."

"I know that more than anyone." Katara took one of Asha's hands in her own. "Asha, Ara told me about your daughter. Where is she?"

Asha sighed. "Some neighbors had to take her in when Ara and I were captured. After I was settled into the palace, I sent word back with orders for her to live with an aunt and uncle of mine on Whale Tail Island."

"Does Ozai know?"

"I hope not."

"Ok, you're going to go back with Sokka to the Southern Water Tribe and you're going to pick her up on the way."

Asha's tear bright eyes glistened even in the dim lighting of the dingy attic. "Katara, I can't thank you enough."

Katara looked back at Sokka. "You two have to leave by tomorrow morning at the latest. You have to get out of here, but Asha needs some time to recover before traveling. Make sure you avoid being seen by any Fire Nation soldiers on Whale Tail Island. If Ozai does know about Asha's daughter, we don't want his soldiers taking any action against her if Asha's seen."

"What about you?"

"Sokka, I can't leave Zuko."

"I don't want to leave you behind—"

"You were fine with this last night."

"I figured you would come to your senses by today. Katara, Dad will kill me if I don't bring you back with me."

"Not if you tell him that I still have something important to do. Sokka, this is _so_ important. I know it— I can feel it in my bones. I have to stay with Zuko. I have to see this through."

"I know about that bullshit scavenger hunt that the Fire Lord's sent him on. Katara, it could be years until you come back home. We were sent here to gather as much intelligence as possible and then get out. Get in, send information, and get out. You seem to be forgetting that part. I've already sent them plans while you've been busy playing nurse to Prince Zuko."

"Sokka, I know where my duty lies."

"And it's not to him! It's to your tribe, to your family!"

"There's more to it that you just can't see!" Katara hugged her arms to her chest. "Sokka, I can _feel_ it. I'm meant to stay here. I'm meant for something greater than just information relay. That's _your_ destiny. You're the one who knows how to fight a war. That's not my role."

Sokka sighed but didn't argue further. "Fine, but before we separate, we have one more thing to do."

"What is it?"

"Take down a Fire Nation munitions factory." The smirk on Sokka's face was dripping with excitement.

Katara smirked back and deadpanned, "Right. Normal sibling bonding."

* * *

Sokka peeked through the ripped curtain that covered the lone window in the attic, holding up the thin fabric by the edge of a finger. His blue eyes narrowed as he ignored the landscape of the sea and focused on the large metal behemoth located in the center of the district. Thick, black smog floated out of several towers and pipes, dark clouds that floated upwards, joining the incoming darkness of night. There was only the slightest hint of orange in the sky in the horizon.

He lowered the curtain and turned back to face the room, pulling a black mask over his face. "It's time."

Katara was tying back her thick, brunette waves before fitting a mask around the lower half of her face. "Ready."

Sokka opened the window and climbed through it, the sound of his footsteps on the rooftop echoing above her. Katara made to follow, but before she did, Katara knelt next to where Asha was seated. She took one of the older woman's hands and squeezed it reassuringly. "Thank you for showing me kindness in the palace. I hope you and your daughter find each other and stay safe."

"Thank you, Katara." Asha squeezed back. "You make sure you stay safe as well. And as soon as this is over, please come and visit. I would like to introduce you to my daughter."

Smiling warmly, Katara said, "I'd like that, too."

Katara released Asha's hand and lifted the hood of her black sweater so that her eyes were the only part of her body left revealed, just like Sokka. She held onto the edge of the open window and stepped onto the ledge before turning to face the inside of attic. Holding Asha's gaze for a split second, Katara hoisted herself onto the roof and began creeping across the scaled surface. She could hear the soft click of the window being shut behind her.

Joining Sokka at the rooftop's peak, she sprawled out across the tiles, mimicking his position. Her eyes focused on the munitions factory. As darkness finally crept over the city and lights began popping up, Sokka and Katara began their trek towards the factory, hopping to the nearest rooftop and leaping to the next one as they got closer to their destination.

There were very few windows on the factory. But the Water Tribe siblings could see the groups of people exiting the building and the simultaneous vanishing of several dots of lots on the building. Quickly, they took note of where the blips of light were and planned possible routes in and out of the factory.

Finally, when the plant seemed deserted, Katara and Sokka dropped down from the rooftop they were on to an awning before leaping down onto the ground. Crouching low, they hustled towards the structure, Sokka taking the lead and positioning himself below a low window that they knew led to an empty room. Katara quickened her pace and just as she would collide into her older brother, pressed the balls of her feet into the ground so that she could spring up and into his open palms, bounding up onto the ledge of the window sill

"Hurry up, Katara!"

"Sokka, I just got here!" she snapped back.

Katara's eyes quickly scanned the glass. The panels couldn't open. They were merely meant to allow light for the workers. The only opening was a small square within the glass panel that could be pushed open from the inside to act as a vent.

"We have to find another window. They can't be opened from the outside. We need to find one that's already partially opened."

"I'll look from down here and on other sides of the building. Are you able to climb along the ledge and check the windows on this side?"

Katara held onto the edge and reached her neck out to glance at the distance to the next window. "I can jump it. If I find an open window, I'll get inside and leave my mask on the ledge so that you see it when you circle around."

"Be careful!"

"I know! Just go!" She made a shooing motion with her hand to urge her brother to start moving before turning to the next window.

The gap between the two ledges weren't too bad. Maybe six feet of space between them. She could jump that. Maybe. Katara took a deep breath and moved to the far edge of the ledge she stood on. Perhaps if she had a bit of a running start, she could make it.

She crouched down and placed her weight on the ball of her forward foot. Her eyebrows came together and her body tensed before she took a calming breath. As she exhaled, she pushed forward, took the two steps allotted to her by the window ledge and pushed off of the edge. Katara stretched her arms out in front of her to propel her forward and flew through the air. Her eyes widened as she realized midair that her estimate of six feet was off. The gap was nearly ten feet across.

Cursing that she wasn't taller, Katara thrust her arms out even further and managed to grasp onto the edge of the windowsill. Her momentum kept her swinging so that she continued to travel underneath the ledge, the pads of her fingers scraping against the rough stone as her grip loosened.

Katara brought her knees to her chest in order to stabilize her movement. She straightened one arm to pull herself up while the other hand insured a strong grip. Once she had pulled her torso onto the ledge, she dragged the rest of her body up. Lying down and gasping, she looked up at the glass panel praying to the spirits that the vent would be open so she wouldn't have to do that again. Thankfully, the spirits were kind to her. It seemed that someone was careless in closing the vents. It was slightly open, enough space for Katara to fit a slim finger through and push down. She quickly took off her mask and tied it to the corner of the vent, the dark fabric dancing in the wind.

Holding on to the top of the window frame, Katara put her legs through the vent and slid through.

As expected, the interior was wide open space filled with crates, machinery, and rows that would be filled with workers in assembly lines. That was all Katara could see in the darkness. Her fingers itched to find a way to turn on some form of light but she forced herself to stay put and wait for Sokka. She heard grunting and raised an eyebrow in the direction of the open window.

Peering out of the vent, Katara fought to laugh at the sight of Sokka scraping to grab onto the ledge of the windowsill. Katara climbed out back onto the ledge and smirked down at Sokka, hands on her hips.

Scowling back at her, Sokka hissed, "Don't look at me like that! You were able to spring up there with my help!"

"Alright, alright, quit howling like a tiger seal. You'll get us caught."

Katara lied down on the ledge and held her arm out over the edge. Sokka stepped back and with a running start, leapt up to clasp her forearm. Katara grunted and slid forward at the sudden weight but dug her toes into the rough stone of the ledge. She reached out her other hand to grab Sokka's other arm.

"Ugh!" she grunted, "When… did you… get so… fat?"

With each word, Katara pulled up Sokka until he was able to push himself up.

Scowling at her again, Sokka rolled his eyes. "Let's just get to work, okay?"

Katara retrieved her mask from where she tied it and put it back on. The mask still didn't hide it when she rolled her eyes at Sokka.

"You're the one who took forever to get here."

She ignored his pout and slid back into the factory, quickly moving out of the way. Sokka gracelessly slipped through the vent face first. As a result, he hit the ground in a similar fashion. Katara raised an eyebrow at him and moved among the piles of crates and in between the conveyor belts. She brushed a hand over one belt, her hand skidding across the rough texture.

"So what's the plan?"

Sokka was busying himself inspecting the labels on various crates, stroking his chin.

"I'm trying to find a box full of something explosive so that… you know, we can blow up the factory."

Katara's eyes widened as she stared at him in disbelief. "Blow up the factory?"

"I don't think I stuttered, Katara."

"And here I thought we were just going adjust the machinery so that every weapon they make would be defective in the future."

"They can fix that easily enough. And how would that deter them from using the weapons that had already been made? They're all packed up and ready to be distributed."

"Have it your way then."

"Don't tell me you'd feel bad." Sokka peered out from the tower of crates he was looking over.

Katara huffed. "Of course not. There's no one here so no one would get hurt. Except maybe us if you're not careful when you ignite whatever flammable explosive thing you want to ignite."

"If you ask me, you sound like your sympathy for Prince Zuko is growing towards the whole Fire Nation."

"No one asked you. And so what if it was? You heard Asha's story. It's not just the other three nations that have been victimized. People within the Fire Nation suffer too, Sokka. The only ones at blame are Fire Lord Ozai and the mindless minions that listen to him and carry out his order."

"Like Prince Zuko chasing after the Avatar?"

Katara whirled around, knocking over the box she was looking at. "You're joking, right? You think that Zuko doesn't know what a joke that assignment is? If he accepts the reality of it, he also has to accept the fact that he's _exiled_. It's the one thing that's capable of giving him hope and he doesn't even believe in it." She scoffed. "I can't believe we have to discuss this again. I've already told you—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Sokka waved his arms at her and spoke in a falsetto voice, "Zuko's not like the rest of them." He made a face and intoned, "I get it."

Fighting the urge to summon a source of water to whip her brother with, Katara turned back to the crates she was examining. Moving on, she felt her foot sink in something soft. Her eyes couldn't discern anything in the darkness so she knelt down to touch the substance. It was finely milled, dark as night, and slipped through her fingers like sand.

"Sokka, I think I found something for you to blow up."

Hastily joining her, Sokka touched a finger to the powder. "Explosive powder. This must be what they stuff into the ballistas and shoot using their firebending."

Sokka shook his hands free of the powder and glanced at the nearby pile filled with powder. "Let's do this."

The two siblings worked quickly to spread out the crates containing the explosive evenly throughout the large warehouse. Using the crate that Katara had knocked over, they created trails of explosive throughout the factory that led to the crates and crossed through the entire structure several times. Sokka was just creating the last trail, pouring the powder to the exit. Katara and Sokka stood at the entrance of the warehouse, the destructive trail starting at their feet.

"As soon as I light this, we need to run. Fast."

He knelt as far away from the powder as he could and reached into the folds of his clothing and pulled out two spark rocks. Very meticulously, he held the green rocks at arms' length and stroked the stones together. A spark passed between the rocks and was immediately attracted to the powder. Sokka dropped the rocks and sprinted away, grabbing Katara's hand as he pulled them to safety.

Within seconds, a series of booms and hissing echoed throughout the large metal structure and it shuddered and shook as it was lit by flames. Even as they ran further and further away, they could feel the waves of heat chasing after them as the fire grew. The streets began to liven up with the clamor of shock and awe at the fire. Crowds started forming as people left their beds and poured into the street to get a better look. Sokka and Katara easily blended in and slowed their pace to a brisk walk as they fought the current of people edging closer to the burning building.

As they reached the brothel, Sokka still continued to pull Katara behind him. Katara gently but firmly removed her arm from his grasp.

"Sokka, I have to head back to the palace now. They'll hear of this and start waking up. I need to be there." She held up a hand to stop whatever argument he had to convince her to come back to the Southern Water Tribe. "Sokka, I _can't_."

Pursing his lips, Sokka nodded. "Remember what we agreed on. Messenger hawk every week at the minimum." He sighed and then enveloped his little sister in a tight embrace. "You watch out for yourself, Katara. You take care of yourself before anyone else. I know that's a difficult concept for you, but for the sake of the spirits, _please_ just do it."

Fighting back tears, Katara let out a choked chuckle. "I'll do my best."

"Stay safe, little sister."

"Travel safely. And please make sure Asha stays safe."

Sokka gave her a quick nod and relinquished his hold. Katara bit her lip and gave him one more quick hug before pulling the hood more tightly over her head and disappearing into the darkness as she moved towards the palace.

* * *

A spray of ocean water lifted as the hull of the ship crashed onto a wave. The mist fell on Katara, but she didn't mind, inhaling the salty smell and relishing in the cool feeling. She glanced at the messenger hawk flying away from the ship, a tiny roll of paper clutched in its talons. Katara was able to send messages without any suspicion under the pretense that she was sending messages to her friends in the brothel. It was still considered strange for her to have such an attachment to this group of people, but the crew aboard the ship took it as one of her many eccentricities. The chief eccentricity being her obvious loyalty to the young banished prince. Katara had heard them speaking about her and the speculation of her plan to entrap Zuko and gain status. They laughed heartily because what good would it be to be a mistress of a banished royal.

She pursed her lips and scowled at the water below her.

"Another letter?"

Katara didn't bother turning around to face the speaker. She already knew the owner of that voice.

She shrugged. "Yes. Don't you know the kinds of drama that can happen with nearly twenty girls stuck together? Missing makeup, missing clothes… the accusations and secrets start flying and then I get a letter from one of the girls giving me every juicy detail."

It was getting exhausting— all of the lies.

"I wouldn't really know. If anyone tried to start drama with Azula, she'd take care of it before they even had a chance to finish."

"I bet," Katara muttered.

The corners of Zuko's mouth quirked up. Katara felt an immense surge of pride at being one of the few able to put him in a good mood. His good humor had been rare in the past few weeks that they had been at sea. More often than not, the expression on his face was a mixture of a grimace and a snarl. And she'd been witness to his terrifying temper quite often as well. Katara was usually the one to offer a kind smile at the unfortunate crew member who had to face Zuko's wrath.

Before they left, Zuko, Iroh, and a small group of Fire Nation soldiers searched the nearby lands in the Fire Nation for any sign of the avatar before they set sail. Katara took that time to make frequent trips to the brothel and make final arrangements of communication between Haku and the Southern Water Tribe. Once she left, Haku would also act as her connection to the goings on in the Fire Nation Capital City. She didn't want to be blindsided by anything that Zuko would most likely hide from her.

In fact, if she weren't there when Iroh told Zuko, Katara wasn't sure whether she would know that Zuko had been banished. Just left alone in the palace.

Katara lifted her gaze from the water to Zuko. His left eye was still covered in bandages but it was much lighter dressing than when they'd left the Fire Nation capital. He would be able to remove the bandages within the next two weeks. Katara had caught him asleep with his door open several times and snuck in to try healing the wound but any progress she made was minimal. Too much time had passed and the damage Ozai had done would be permanent. She at least hoped that her efforts quickened the healing process.

"The officers are joking that I should shave my hair off."

"Huh?"

"They said that I'd be taken more seriously if I shave my head and wear the traditional ponytail of Fire Nation warriors."

He sounded like Sokka when he talked about his warrior wolf tail. Boys.

Katara furrowed her brow at tried to imagine a nearly bald Zuko with a ponytail sticking out from his scalp.

"I don't think it's a funny joke."

"It's just something I was thinking about…" Zuko's eyes turned to the water. "It's a symbol of honor, of dedication to family and nation."

Katara gently placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned back to her. "Zuko, trust me. You don't need to shave your head to prove anything. The fact that you're even doing this— wholeheartedly— is more than enough proof of how dedicated you are to your people. You have all the honor you need."

Zuko smiled at her but Katara recognized it as one merely to placate her. He didn't believe her. She frowned at him.

"Zuko?"

"Hmm?"

"If… if I wasn't there when your uncle told you about your father's orders… would you have told me? I mean— I guess what I'm trying to say is… would you have left me behind?"

"Yes."

Katara fought to not tear her gaze away from his, hoping that the color pooling in her cheeks wasn't too evident. At a loss, she replied softly, "Oh. I see."

Zuko frowned. He had seen the quick flash of hurt cross Katara's features. "It's not what you think, Katara. I… appreciate.. no I—" Zuko groaned and ran a hand over the right side of his face in exasperation. "I obviously don't have the social finesse to express myself."

"You're not addressing a crowd of Fire Nation nobility, Zuko. You're just talking to me. No finesse necessary."

"It's just… what I meant to say is… I'd rather not haul you around the world on an empty goose chase. I'd like you to find a place to call home and settle down."

"I'm fifteen, not thirty. I don't need to settle down. And I have no home to go back to, Zuko."

"I figured that anyplace would be better than being stuck in a ship for Agni knows how long."

"I'm your friend. I said I'd stick with you. And that's exactly what I'm doing. You're going to have to put up with me."

Zuko scoffed. "You make it seem as if I think you're a nuisance."

"Don't you?"

He regarded her, his amber gaze moving slowly from her eyes, down her nose, to her lips, and back up. Katara felt heat rise in her cheeks once more underneath the intensity of his stare.

"No. I don't," he murmured.

Katara shifted uncomfortably and looked down at her feet. She cleared her throat and tossed her long hair over her shoulder.

"Well I can't say the same about you," she commented flippantly.

She brought her eyes back up to meet his and smiled when she saw the mirth in them. Relaxing, she leaned over the railing again to gaze out at the sea. "So where are we headed next?"

"The abandoned Southern Air Temple."

Zuko placed a hand on Katara's back and gestured for her gaze to follow where he pointed. Katara could barely concentrate on where to look. The pressure between her shoulders and the heat radiating from his palm almost caused her to shiver in response. But she could see a faint obstruction on the horizon that she assumed was an island.

"The Southern Air Temple…"

Turning to face him, she asked, "So are we going to all of the air temples before we start concentrating elsewhere?"

Zuko shook his head. "That would be too time consuming. We've already searched the Fire Nation. Although, I highly doubted that we'd find anything there. I'm not even that convinced that searching the temples would do me any good. If he's still alive, the Avatar wouldn't stay there. It's much too obvious. My best guess is that he sought sanctuary at settlements near temples. The Southern Water Tribe, for example."

"The Water Tribe?"

Katara had a sudden case of dry mouth and her heart dropped. Of course. How could she have forgotten?

_A jolly, elderly voice broke through the tension. With a hearty chuckle, Iroh's voice boomed, "Lieutenant Jee, you are very logical, but you understand, the Avatar must have learned in the past century to not hide in such obvious places. Of course we should look everywhere for him, as my brother sought to do, I'm sure."_

_Katara smiled softly at the mediator and his happy demeanor, even in such a tense atmosphere, remembering him as the old man from the previous night. She peered out behind the pillar, trying to get a glimpse of him._

_"Oh, yes. I understand completely now, General Iroh."_

_"Now, the Western Air Temple is completely empty, and we're now sure of the Eastern Temple, as well. Only that damned mechanic and others live there. We all know that there are certainly no Airbenders in the Southern Air Temple, so we have to assume that in my grandfather's destruction of the Air Nomads, the Avatar had no time to flee far and he must have traveled somewhere close," Iroh reasoned. "Therefore, the closest location that would aid him would be the Southern Water Tribe at the South Pole."_

"But there's really nothing there."

Zuko shrugged. "It never hurts to look. And the Southern Water Tribe's been growing in recent years. They may have strengthened enough to be able to harbor the Avatar. I mean, he'd be an old man by now. Not like he'd really impose on resources. If we're quick at the air temple, we should be at the South Pole within the next two weeks."

A foreboding sense of dread filled Katara.

* * *

**Acknowledgements:**

**Big Fan: **I think, going into this, my impression of their initial antagonism from the series is that it is something that would always happen between these two so I don't think there'd be any rush to have a relationship between them, except maybe on a purely physical level of attraction (because they're both extremely attractive, let's face it lol) but I think they'd only go as far as acknowledging how physically er… pleasing the other is (haha awkward sentence). I think the next couple of chapters will showcase the growth in their emotional relationship because what I'm throwing at them… well if they didn't grow or mature then I don't know how they'd get through it. Thanks for the review!

**Guest: **So I've updated… haha. Sorry for the long wait.

**RosesPearl: **Ah, that's a relief. I originally didn't know how people would respond to the little interludes. I was hoping that I wasn't giving too much away and essentially ruining the story. Suspense is essentially the only thing that keeps a story going and it's really hard for me to toe the line between keeping that while keeping the interludes. So it's for that reason that I can answer your question! Sneaky, trying to get me to answer… well it won't work lol. Having Katara around during recovery and banishment will have a definite influence Zuko, as you've read, but I think it also adds different elements of frustration for Zuko as well.

Hope everyone's had a fantastic holiday! Please read, review, and wonder!


	11. The Slip Up

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs purely to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Chapter 10: The Slip-Up

* * *

**Summary:**As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty, life, and love, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

_Last Time…_

_"The Water Tribe?"_

_Katara had a sudden case of dry mouth and her heart dropped. Of course. How could she have forgotten?_

A jolly, elderly voice broke through the tension. With a hearty chuckle, Iroh's voice boomed, "Lieutenant Jee, you are very logical, but you understand, the Avatar must have learned in the past century to not hide in such obvious places. Of course we should look everywhere for him, as my brother sought to do, I'm sure."

Katara smiled softly at the mediator and his happy demeanor, even in such a tense atmosphere, remembering him as the old man from the previous night. She peered out behind the pillar, trying to get a glimpse of him.

"Oh, yes. I understand completely now, General Iroh."

"Now, the Western Air Temple is completely empty, and we're now sure of the Eastern Temple, as well. Only that damned mechanic and others live there. We all know that there are certainly no Airbenders in the Southern Air Temple, so we have to assume that in my grandfather's destruction of the Air Nomads, the Avatar had no time to flee far and he must have traveled somewhere close," Iroh reasoned. "Therefore, the closest location that would aid him would be the Southern Water Tribe at the South Pole."

_"But there's really nothing there."_

_Zuko shrugged. "It never hurts to look. And the Southern Water Tribe's been growing in recent years. They may have strengthened enough to be able to harbor the Avatar. I mean, he'd be an old man by now. Not like he'd really impose on resources. If we're quick at the air temple, we should be at the South Pole within the next two weeks."_

_A foreboding sense of dread filled Katara._

* * *

Katara sighed as she watched Zuko pace back and forth, irate with the most recent news from the Fire Nation Capital City. She saw the crumpled up scroll in his right fist, his left fist suspiciously steaming with the beginnings of a fire punch. She raised a dark eyebrow at that.

"Zuko?"

He froze turned his amber gaze on hers and she gulped nervously. She could have sworn that there was fire in the liquid gold. At her expression, Zuko attempted to soften his own, but he gave up when it did not happen immediately. He began to pace back and forth in his small room once more.

Katara's face fell into a pout. "Forget it, then."

"I heard that!"

"Right. I forgot you have superhuman dog-like hearing," Katara muttered under her breath.

"Then you should know better than to mutter under your breath like that!" he yelled.

"Zuko, just calm down—" Katara stopped when she saw the murderous expression on his face. "— all right, _don't_ calm down. Can you at least tell me why you're in such a foul mood?"

The atmosphere in the banished prince's room was not this tense fifteen minutes ago. In fact, the two teenagers were enjoying a quiet game of pai sho. Or at least, as quiet as it could be when Katara sighed or grumbled in annoyance at being beaten by Zuko and Zuko's accompanying chuckle. A servant had to knock on the door and present the message to Zuko. He nearly flipped the pai sho table after reading the scroll.

Katara prayed to the spirits that it wasn't a message about the factory explosion that she and Sokka had caused several months back. Her most recent correspondence with Haku demonstrated that Fire Nation officials still had no idea how the explosion occurred and who could have done it. Katara was hoping that they would give up soon and attribute it to something harmless like equipment malfunctions.

"It's a message about that factory explosion that took place a week or two before we set sail. Apparently, they feel that they've investigated thoroughly enough and ruled the incident an accident. Something with the machinery malfunctioning and the abundance of explosives causing the blast."

Katara almost wanted to kiss the Fire Nation officials who wrote the report. Almost. She noticed as he spoke, the steam in his fist turning into an orange glow. She widened her eyes and asked innocently, "Well isn't that good? No real harm, no foul?"

Zuko pursed his lips. "It doesn't feel right… these bastards are just too lazy or too stupid to figure out what happened and they're going for the easiest explanation!"

"So you think it was an attack?"

"No, there were no injuries or casualties… it was done at night, there's no way that the perpetrators intended for any injuries… No, this was sabotage." Zuko almost growled. "And they're too fucking arrogant to realize it back home. They think that the all mighty Fire Nation is too strong, too _good_ to have been sabotaged." The flames of the candles in the room flared.

"What are you going to do about it then?" Katara asked, somewhat used to Zuko's mercurial mood and his temper. She'd be lying to herself, however, if she didn't admit that his mood swings were trying on her patience.

Zuko glared at her. "That's the thing— I _can't_ do anything about it!"

Katara easily returned his glare. "Then shut up about it. If there's nothing you can do about it, then quit wasting your time and energy fuming about it!"

Zuko stared at her with wide eyes and his mouth slightly agape. Sure, he had been used to someone yelling at him— he grew up with his father and Azula, after all. He was even getting comfortable to the arguments he might share with Katara on occasion, but he never thought Katara would blow up at him like _that_.

Immediately, she seemed to regret her tone and words. "I'm sorry, Prince Zuko," she said in a slightly clipped voice.

Zuko winced. They were back to formalities.

Katara stood up and made her way to the room. "I think I've been cooped up too long. Cabin fever is getting to me. I'm sorry for my behavior," she muttered.

Before Zuko could stop her, before he even found it to get over his shock and move, Katara slammed the door closed behind her and he heard her stomping footsteps fade away. He stared at his closed door, still quite in shock. He questioned whether he should even be angry. Whether he should go after her.

'_No… I don't want to deal with an angry Katara.'_

He scowled at the fist of paper he had clenched in one hand and released it into the air, simultaneously releasing the fist of fire he had kept clenched in his other hand. The paper burned and turned to ash, the sight slightly satisfying the young prince's temper. It didn't do enough, however. He groaned and threw himself onto his bed, his hands covering his face in exasperation. Zuko knew the new reason for his annoyance, but he really, _really_ did not want to admit it or try and alleviate it.

Peeking through his fingers at his door, he sighed and sat up, his elbows resting on his knees as he hunched over. "What's got Katara so upset?" he murmured.

Beyond the door, Katara slowed her pace and hung her head. "Maybe I might have overreacted…"

Her expression hardened and she raised her head again as she walked through the corridors of the metal ship. _'No! I'm well within reason to be annoyed. Granted, I know he's been through a lot, but Zuko is just… I can't be his emotional punching bag!'_

"I can't even vent to him because he'd just vent_ to_ me about his frustration _with_ me," she muttered bitterly.

"I am assuming that these irritated grumbles are about my nephew. Would you care to correct me or prove me wrong?"

Katara turned around to Iroh's peaceful, somewhat amused countenance looking back at her. His posture indicated neutrality— he stood straight but not rigidly and he had his hands hidden in the sleeves of his robe. But there was a hint of mirth and mischief in his golden eyes. She smiled back at him sheepishly. "You may be correct," she admitted.

"Come, Miss Katara, let us talk over some tea." He smiled cheekily and held up a hand as if swearing an oath. "I promise I will not vent to you any frustration I may have about you," he teased.

Katara blushed at his verbatim promise, but rolled her eyes at him playfully and allowed him to usher her up to the deck where everyone on board the ship knew Iroh liked to enjoy his afternoon tea. He preferred to have a kettle by him right at the bow of the ship.

They settled on the cushions that acted as seats around the low, round table. Iroh was apparently highly predictable when it came to his tea habits and a fresh brew was already placed on the table, steam curling upwards away from the spout of the kettle. He poured a cup for Katara before pouring his own. Katara smiled her thanks and waited for the tea to cool down before drinking it. She had learned her lesson the hard way the first time she had tea with Iroh on the ship. Of course, being one of the most renowned firebenders in the world, as well as _the_ Dragon of the West, Iroh wasted no time in drinking his tea, deeply inhaling the steam before the liquid touched his lips.

"Now tell me, Katara, what has my nephew in such a foul mood?"

"He doesn't believe the results of the investigation concerning the munitions factory explosion."

"Ah, I see. That matter had been discussed heavily during a war meeting before we set sail— we concluded that there was no foul play involved as well."

Katara's eyes turned into saucers at the older man's divulgence. Forget the fact that she was a servant, she wasn't even truly Fire Nation in her persona as a colonist, and he divulged matters pertaining to a Fire Nation War Council meeting?

Iroh's chest rumbled with a deep chuckle. "Yes, I can see your shock at my having said something so 'confidential'. But, as you can see, Katara, that is evident of how much the explosion did not bother my brother nor his generals."

"But it was a huge factory. There were— I mean, I'm sure that there must have been a large amount of equipment housed there."

"Yes, it's true that production has been set back and that there is a cost to the lost weaponry and materials, but the Fire Nation has other factories. This one was merely close to home."

Katara felt disheartened at his comments. Had she and Sokka accomplished nothing then? She hated to admit it but maybe that chauvinist elbow leech Hahn was right— maybe she was a child playing in a game exclusively meant for adults.

Oblivious to her crestfallen expression, Iroh continued, absentmindedly refilling his cup, "It was a rather old structure as well. Something was bound to happen soon enough." He let out a content sigh as the hot liquid traveled into his large belly. "Much like this ship."

Katara's hand nearly lost its grip on her cup. "Hm?" she asked.

"My dear, we're still immobile."

Iroh gestured behind him to the vast expanse of ocean water. The waves lapped against the sides of the ship, but not due to anything other than their own natural motion. The ship had been still for nearly three days now. It was also not the first, nor the second, nor even the third time that this happened. The ship had been suffering malfunctions and other setbacks soon after their course named the Southern Air Temple as the desired destination.

Katara willed her body not to blush as she remembered her correspondence with Sokka weeks ago.

_Katara,_

_It's really not that hard to sabotage a ship. There are a lot of moving bits and pieces. You just need to loosen something or wedge something where it doesn't belong and the machinery will take care of the rest. Make sure whatever damage you do is small and inconspicuous— this will make sure that the engineer trying to fix the problem will take longer to fix it, buying you more time and ruining Zuko's plans. If you're worried about them noticing, try using your waterbending to create waves to push the ship off course. But that's kind of a desperate last resort. Stay safe. Keep me updated._

_Sokka_

_PS: I'm showing Dad your last letter and what you called me._

Regaining her composure, Katara peered at Iroh over the rim of her cup. "I'd forgotten all about that." Making a face, she grumbled, "I'd been stuck inside for too long."

Iroh let out another hearty chuckle as Katara redirected the conversation back to the haughty banished prince.

"My nephew is not an easy man to deal with," he agreed.

"Especially when he's constantly gossiped about," Zuko growled.

Although Iroh paid no heed to Zuko's anger, Katara nearly dropped her tea once more at the sight of Zuko hovering behind her with a dangerous expression on his face. He scoffed and dropped himself onto one of the cushions surrounding the small table. Katara couldn't help but admire how he did so while maintaining grace. The spirits know that if she were angry, she'd be stomping around and plopping herself into seats.

His eyes turned to hers and she hastily averted her gaze to her tea, her cheeks turning pink from embarrassment. Noticing the color tingeing her face, Zuko raised a dark eyebrow at Katara. He opened his mouth to ask when the ship groaned and shuddered, lurching into movement. On deck, Iroh comically fell over, off the back of his cushion, his mouth shaped in a large "O" before tipping over. Zuko steadied his balance, managing not to fall over. Katara wasn't prepared and nearly fell to the side but Zuko grasped her upper arm, keeping her upright. The cup of hot tea she was holding sloshed over and Katara, not wanting to be scalded, instinctively used her waterbending to put the liquid back in the cup.

She gasped at her actions and looked at Zuko, worried that she might be caught. It was in that instant that Zuko turned his attention from the ocean waters to her, alerted by the sound of her gasp. He looked over her in concern.

"Are you hurt?"

Katara blinked at him, her mouth agape. "No," she finally answered. "Just shocked."

'_And relieved. Good thing that didn't require anymore than a flick of my wrist.'_

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine, Zuko."

Zuko nodded at her and then turned his head towards Iroh when he rolled his eyes before purposely keeping his gaze away from his uncle, turning Katara away from him as well. "Uncle! Fix yourself!"

Iroh's legs still dangled in the air as he toppled over and his robe could not resist the pull of gravity, revealing his hairy legs. Zuko had turned away before his eyes saw anything he might regret.

"I'm trying, Prince Zuko! It is much harder for an old man to pick himself up than it was twenty years ago."

Forcefully exhaling through his nose, Zuko stood up, taking Katara with him, dragging her towards the railing. She hadn't even noticed that he still hadn't relinquished his hold on her arm.

"Unbelievable," he muttered.

Katara scowled at him. "Your uncle's sweet."

He scoffed. "'Sweet'?"

"Endearing, even," she insisted.

"You definitely hit your head on something."

She snorted. "On what Zuko? Air?" Katara lightly swatted his arm. "Be nicer to your uncle. He means well." She ignored the pointed look Zuko threw her way but after a few moments, she saw out of the corner of her eye that his face softened.

"You're right; my uncle's acted more like a father than my real father the past few years."

Katara stopped and because he was holding her, Zuko stopped as well. She smiled at him. "Then go help him up!" She couldn't help the laugh that burst out of her when she pictured the great Dragon of the West, bottoms up.

Making a face, Zuko grumbled, "He can take care of himself."

"Zuko!"

Zuko scowled at her. "Fine," he ground out before turning back around.

Katara smiled at his retreating figure, rolling her eyes and leaning against the railing as she watched Iroh's legs disappear once more underneath his robe and his bright red face from the rush of blood. Zuko came back to her, a sheepish look on his face.

"Happy?"

Katara playfully rolled her eyes at him and Zuko couldn't help but be drawn to the image of her sapphire-like eyes. "Ecstatic."

* * *

Katara lay down on her bed, leisurely swirling a ribbon of water above her as the ship continued its rhythmic swaying. Her face was tense, her brow furrowed in deep thought and her usually full lips pursed into a thin line.

'_I don't know what else to do. How many more times can I just slow down the ship? No matter what, we're still going to end up going to the Southern Water Tribe… I'll be caught for sure. I'll… I don't know what's going to happen to me.'_

A knock on her door caused Katara to immediately still the movement of the water and throw it into an empty basin. It made a loud splash and she grimaced.

"Sorry… Are you busy?" Zuko's voice was quiet, embarrassed. _'Was she in the middle of a bath?'_

"I can come back later, if you want."

Katara froze. _'Do I want him to leave?'_

"No it's fine!" she called out. "I was just… uh… washing my face?"

From both sides of the door, both teenagers made a face at Katara's explanation-slash-question. Zuko raised an eyebrow and Katara scrunched up her face in self-loathing.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be out in a minute."

Zuko laughed quietly and Katara stilled to enjoy the sound. "I meant are you sure that you're washing your face? Because you didn't sound sure."

Katara opened the door to glare at him. "I'm sure," she hissed. She closed the door behind her and found herself walking into Zuko's chest. "Oomph!" She rubbed her nose and looked up at him accusatorily, eliciting another quiet laugh from him, causing her expression to soften for just a moment before returning to a glare.

"Sorry."

Katara maintained her glare, narrowing her eyes at him even more. It didn't sound like he was sorry.

"We're stopping again."

Katara raised an eyebrow at him. "What? Why?"

"All the problems with the ship have delayed us significantly. We're going to head into a port and get it checked out thoroughly to make sure it won't happen anymore and to stock up on supplies." He cast a glance down the hallway. "I personally think that we could have held out a little longer— at least until _after_ we paid a visit to the Southern Air Temple."

Katara leaned against her door, crossing her arms. "Then why the hurry?" It wasn't until she backed away from him that she realized how close he was to her— how close he _still_ was.

"Prince Zuko! Hurry! We are docking soon and I must resupply the tea inventory!" Iroh yelled down the hallway.

Katara smiled and looked back at Zuko in dawning comprehension, an "Ah" expression dancing in her bright blue eyes.

"I was going to ask if you required anything?"

"I'm fine," she waved away the notion of buying anything. She looked up at him in a way that made him wary. "But I was wondering… could I leave the ship, too?"

Her question had much more of an impact on Zuko than either of them could have predicted it would. Zuko's face fell and he felt all of his energy drain from him. A heavy feeling settled at the bottom of his stomach and he couldn't believe that he had to fight what felt like the beginnings of a pout.

"You want to leave… the ship?"

Katara had seen how his entire posture slacked and his bright gold eyes dimmed to a disappointed topaz. She stood straight and leaned towards him, frowning. Her hands itched to take one of his but she kept them fisted at her sides. Katara saw how his frown pulled at the damaged skin of his bandaged eye.

"Zuko, I'm not going to run away." Sometimes, she forgot that she was still technically his servant and would— _should_— desire to run away from her so-called master.

"Really," she assured him. "I miss being on solid land," she joked lamely. At his lack of humor, she sighed. "I told you, you're stuck with me."

She smiled at him and he slowly returned the gesture. As if proving her point, Katara took a small step towards him. With a pointed glance down the hallway towards the ladder that led to the deck, she began walking. She hid her next smile as Zuko matched her pace, stride for stride. She was also hyper aware of how close their hands were to brushing each other as they walked. The realization set her on edge, but Katara grudgingly admitted that it wasn't an entirely unpleasant feeling. Zuko paused and let her climb up the ladder first.

Midway up the ladder, she reached for the next rung and asked, "So where are we docking?"

"Whale Tail Island."

Katara missed the rung and slipped. Squeezing her eyes shut to brace herself for the pain of impact, Katara let out a breath of relief when she felt a large, warm hand on her hip, moving her back towards the ladder. Granted, the ladders weren't tall but she still didn't want to fall. Kagome tightened her hands on the rung while her toes found their footing once more. She looked down and saw Zuko looking back at her with worry.

"I'm fine," she breathed.

He nodded and waited for her to continue moving up the ladder. Katara hurried up the ladder as fast as she could, feeling thoroughly embarrassed by her clumsiness and foolish for her obvious physical reaction to the mention of Whale Tail Island. After climbing onto the deck, Katara moved towards the railing, the sight of land coming into view and details becoming clearer as the ship approached it.

"Whale Tail Island," she whispered.

"It was the closest settlement from where we were stopped."

Katara was no longer startled by the silent way Zuko could move. She had come to accept that as another part of him that she both admired and was wary of.

"Have you ever been?" he asked conversationally.

Katara shook her head. It was one of the few truths she had spoken in a long time. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "This area… this group of islands used to be Air Nomad territory, am I right?"

He nodded. "The archipelago belonged to the Air Nation until they were…" He shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. "Until they were gone."

"So who lives there now?"

"A mixture of Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation citizens. We're pretty close to the southwestern coast of the Earth Kingdom. There's also a station for a division of the Fire Nation military."

"Oh."

Zuko gave her a peculiar stare before he sighed. "I have to go oversee the men who are going to fix up the ship and make sure that my uncle doesn't go overboard with his tea supply. You're free to leave the ship but make sure to come back within two hours. Sundown." His eyes bore into her. "Otherwise, we're leaving without you."

Katara nodded. "I'll make sure to be back in time," she promised.

"I'll hold you to that," he murmured before walking away.

Katara took one last look at the prince's back before she made her way towards the area where the crew would lower the plank to allow her onto the island.

* * *

There really wasn't much to Whale Tale Island. It definitely wasn't a tourist spot like some of the other Earth Kingdom villages. No little street stands decorated with souvenirs for visitors to take home. No special skits by street performers hoping to get some tips. It was a quiet town… tense due to the forced co-existence of Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom citizens, but quiet nevertheless. The market had small booths where farmers, craftsmen, artisans, and merchants hoped to sell food and tools.

Katara ventured to the stand filled with displays of colorful fresh fruit and vegetables. She smiled kindly at the elderly woman in charge of the stall. She reached for a Moon peach, handing the woman a handful of coins in return. Katara held a hand to refuse the change the old lady was trying to give her and walked away, amusing herself by glancing at the other stalls. She took a bite of the pale, round fruit, relishing in its tangy sweetness— a refreshing change from the salty and spicy taste characteristic of Fire Nation cuisine.

Just as she was perusing a stall of handmade jewelry, Katara felt someone tap on her shoulder. She turned around and found herself face to face with a girl who seemed about her age. The girl smiled shyly at her, her cheeks turning a light pink.

"Excuse me, are you Katara?"

Katara frowned in confusion. "Yes, that's me," she hedged, her voice becoming vague. "I'm sorry, is something wrong?"

The girl's round eyes widened. "Oh no! Not at all. I'm Aiko."

Perhaps it was foolish of her to let her guard down so quickly, but Katara smiled warmly at her. "Nice to meet you, Aiko. Can I help you with anything?"

"Actually, I meant to thank you."

"Thank me?" she echoed incredulously.

Aiko nodded bashfully. Katara appraised the girl once more. She had a small button nose. Her face was round, kind, as were her eyes. Her eyes were also a light ocher color— familiar. They were too dark for Fire Nation nobility but Katara knew she recognized the color. Realization finally came to Katara and she cried out happily.

"You must be Asha's daughter!"

Aiko smiled and let out a small sigh of relief. "Yes, I am. Forgive me for bothering you, but I saw you in the market and I thought that you looked _so_ much like the girl my mother described." Another light dusting of pink appeared on her cheeks. "It's not very often you see eyes like yours."

It was Katara's turn to blush as she chose to shyly ignore Aiko's latter comments. "It's not any bother at all!" She sighed happily. "So you found your mom? Where is she?"

"She's at home, preparing to make our dinner. She sent me to get some more food." Aiko grasped the handle of her basket tightly. Katara noted that it _was_ filled with food. "Please, you have to join us! It's the least we can do! I don't know how I could ever repay you for bringing back my mother! And I'm sure she'd want to see you, too!" she insisted.

Katara glanced nervously at the sun. It was still relatively high in the sky but she noticed that it was starting to begin its downward arc towards the horizon.

'_I still have plenty of time. I'm sure I can make it back to the ship in time. And I _do_ want to see Asha again and check up on her…'_

Katara looked back into Aiko's pleading ochre eyes and smiled. "I have to be back by sunset, but I'll go back with you. But only if I get to help you as _well_!" Katara's voice rose to a yell as Aiko grasped her wrist and hurried from the marketplace and onto a path that led to the nearby cluster of small homes and huts. Katara couldn't help but laugh.

Katara managed to get the girl to slow her pace to a walk and insisted on carrying the basket since their dinner tonight was supposedly in her honor. Aiko had gripped the basket with vice-like strength but bashfully released it at Katara's insistence.

"When did Asha arrive here?"

"About four, maybe five weeks ago. The young man who escorted her… he's your brother?"

Glancing at Aiko from the corner of her eye, Katara noted a glint in her ochre eyes and a rosy tint to her cheeks.

"I wouldn't exactly call my brother a man…" Katara muttered.

"You're his sister. It's your obligation to act that way."

Katara made a face but then smiled at Aiko apologetically. "You _really_ like Sokka?"

Aiko shrugged though the growing intensity of her blush betrayed her feigned nonchalance. "He's smart… brave— brave enough to go with you to the Fire Nation and then escort my mother back here." Aiko smiled wistfully. "I think he's sweet. And funny."

Raising her eyebrows, Katara deadpanned, "Funny."

Katara immediately felt guilty and winced at the embarrassed look that came over Aiko's face. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to make fun of you or anything, but you're right. He's my brother. I really can't see him in any way except as an annoying, overprotective older brother."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made this awkward for you."

Katara laughed gently, waving away the notion. "Don't worry." She sighed. "I hate to break it to you, Aiko, but I have a strong suspicion that my brother might be spoken for already."

She frowned at the disappointed expression on Aiko's face. She stopped and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Aiko, I'm sure you'll find someone a lot better and worth your time than my bonehead of a brother."

"I guess… I just thought by now that I'd have at least _met_ the person I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life."

"If you don't mind my asking, how old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"And you don't think that maybe you're still really young?"

A soft smile appeared on Aiko's face, along with a contemplative glaze to her eyes. "My mom met my dad when she was fifteen. They fell in love and married by the time she was eighteen." Aiko shrugged. "I guess I just wanted to know if I'd ever find something like that."

"You will," Katara insisted. "And believe me, I know the feeling. My parents grew up together and they'd tell Sokka and me stories of how they fell in love." She frowned and hesitated before asking, "If you don't mind my asking, what happened to your dad?"

The corners of Aiko's mouth were tugged downwards into a slight frown. "He was killed the night my mom was taken." Her eyebrows knit together. "I don't remember much. I was probably around three or four when it happened. The next thing I knew, I was being put on a ship to come here. I haven't been back to the Fire Nation since."

"My mother…" Katara blinked to avoid the tears that threatened to spill over. "She was killed when I was younger, too."

The two girls walked the remainder of the way in companionable but melancholy silence. Aiko paused in front of a quaint home. A soft glow came through the house's windows and the hint of something delicious being cooked wafted from it.

"This is our new house. It was built shortly after my mom came back. It's just the two of us." Aiko smiled at Katara. "She'll be happy to see you."

Katara followed after her, into the house and then through the homely living space into the tiny kitchen where a familiar dark haired woman was bustling around. She quietly held the basket of food while waiting in the threshold as Aiko walked to Asha's side.

"Hey Mom, I got the ingredients you wanted. I also managed to pick up something extra."

Asha sighed. "Aiko, you know our budget's tight. I'm sorry, darling, but we can't afford any more extravagancies."

Aiko grinned. "It's okay, Mom. It was free."

"Free?" Asha repeated skeptically.

Gesturing for her to turn around, Aiko nodded at Katara. "Meet my new friend, Katara."

Asha made her way to Katara and ignored the basket of food she held out, choosing to embrace her tightly. Still gripping her shoulders, Asha pulled back and stared at Katara with wide eyes, as if in disbelief.

"Katara! What are you doing here?"

Holding out the basket once more, Katara gave Asha her food and followed her as Asha moved to set aside everything. "I should be asking you that. I thought I told you and Sokka to take you and Aiko to the Southern Water Tribe."

Asha smiled patiently. "I understand that you and your brother were doing what you thought was best, but Aiko and I are safe here. And Aiko's friends are here and she's lived here most of her life. I couldn't bear to take her away. I hope you understand and don't take this as my being ungrateful for what you and your brother have done for us."

"I understand completely," Katara agreed with a slight grin. "You're just a mother doing what's best for her child."

Asha briefly touched her hand to Katara's cheek before returning to cooking. "You still haven't answered my question." She nodded at the table and Katara took a seat.

"Well… I'm here with Zuko. We stopped here to repair the ship and restock on supplies."

"Repair the ship? What happened?"

Katara bit her lip. "I might have intentionally broken the ship… multiple times." Katara caught sight of the grin on Aiko's face and smiled back at her. "We were forced to dock and I managed to get some time to wander around on my own."

Asha turned away from her cooking, a hand on her hip and a dark eyebrow arched. "I'm surprised Prince Zuko _let_ you off the ship."

"He almost didn't."

"That sounds more like what I expected," she laughed.

Asha handed a large bowl filled with a stew to Aiko, who brought it to the table. Asha reached into a cupboard and pulled out three sets of tableware. She poured the stew into each bowl before serving the two younger girls and taking her own seat. Katara brought the spoonful up to her mouth but paused to inhale the hearty aroma and sighed in contentment. She closed her eyes happily after the first spoonful.

"I take it that this is more appealing than whatever food the ship's cook provides."

"You have no idea."

The three women spent the rest of dinner eating, laughing, and telling stories in complete contentment. At the meal's end, Katara refused to let Asha and Aiko clean up and stubbornly made sure that both woman stayed away from the dirty dishes as Katara washed them. Of course, the process was expedited when Katara used her waterbending.

"It's very freeing, isn't it?" Asha asked knowingly.

"I've had to stifle the urge to use my waterbending for so long. It feels amazing to use it."

"I'm sure it's extremely difficult to repress something that's a part of you."

Aiko suddenly grasped Katara's hands. Katara raised her eyebrows at her.

"Aiko, I told you that it's the least I can do—"

"_No_, it's not that. Look!"

Aiko lifted a hand to point out of the kitchen window. The sky was a rich mixture of orange, purple, and midnight blue but the darkness was already vast and quickly overtaking the fading light. Katara could see that the sun had already disappeared beyond the horizon.

"It's past sunset! They'll leave without me!"

"So stop washing dishes!"

Katara stared at her until she realized that she was still absentmindedly moving her arms. She immediately stopped and water splashed into the sink and onto the kitchen counter and her feet. Katara winced and made to apologize but Asha immediately held up a hand to hush her apology.

"There's no time for that. You need to go and hurry and hope that they're still docked."

"But—"

"Katara, go!"

Asha quickly hugged the Water Tribe girl before gently pushing her in the direction of the front door. As she opened the door and moved through the threshold, pausing as she pulled the door behind her to glance once more at Asha and Aiko. Asha stood behind her daughter and had her arms draped over her shoulders in a loose embrace. Aiko gave her a friendly smile and wave.

"Thank you for everything, Katara. Be safe and good luck," Asha said.

Katara returned her sentiment with a quick smile and a nod before closing the door and rushing out onto the dark path that led back to the docks. In her haste to run, she collided with someone else on the path. She muttered an apology as she steadied herself and made to run before the stranger clasped a hand over her wrist.

"Hey! Let go!"

After unsuccessfully trying to tug her arm away, Katara promptly dropped to a squat, surprising her assailant with the quick movement. When her assailant lost his balance and took his time to steady himself on the ground, Katara swept a leg at his ankles to knock him over while pulling her wrist back. He fell on his back and Katara ran, the sound of her feet pounding on the ground matching the thumping of her racing heartbeat.

It felt like the wind got knocked out of her when a strong arm wound its way around her waist and pulled her back. At the same time, Katara gasped violently and thrashed her legs in the air, but stopped when the hold tightened. She grimaced at the pressure and her assailant loosened his hold on her waist only to place his hands on her shoulders and turn her around. Her eyes turned to steely cobalt, refusing to show any sort of fear.

Despite the fact that the sun had now sent and the night's inky darkness obscured her vision, Katara could still make out the bright golden gaze glaring at her, the anger within them causing them to almost glow in the night.

"What the hell do you think you were you doing?!"

* * *

Zuko sighed in exasperation and fought the urge to once more bring his palm to his face as his Uncle Iroh changed his mind and brought a hand to his chin to ponder his decision, his head swiveling around the teashop to look at the other varieties of tea leaves.

"_Uncle!_" he hissed. "We need to get going!"

"What's your hurry, Prince Zuko? It's not as if the Avatar is aware he is being hunted. I'm sure that wherever he is, he'll still be there whether you rush me or not."

Narrowing his eyes at the old firebender, Zuko groaned and stormed out of the teashop. The ships repairs had been dealt with quickly enough. He had the engineer's word that any future malfunctions would be a sign from Agni himself that this journey was cursed. Zuko snorted at his thoughts.

'_Of _course_ this journey is cursed. It's _mine_, after all. And Uncle's wrong; the quicker we get off of this damn island, the sooner we can find the Avatar and return to the Fire Nation. To my place at my father's side.'_

Zuko slowed down, his stomping turning into a wandering gait. He glanced up at the sky and scowled.

'_Damn Uncle and his damn obsession with hot leaf juice. Why doesn't he understand the urgency behind this journey? Why can't he understand that I _need_ to redeem myself? He threw away his chance for glory but there's no way I'm going to let him take mine away!'_

Zuko came to an abrupt halt, stunned by his train of thought.

'_No… he's not trying to sabotage my journey. He's here to support me and offer help. Even if it's in the most misguided way. And he didn't throw away his chance for glory… He was being a good father to Lu Ten. He was mourning his son. He was showing his love for him… just like…'_

The sound of a crash jarred Zuko from his thoughts once more. A young boy had just dropped a crate of cabbages as he helped his father pack up their stall and load whatever they didn't sell onto a rickety wooden cart.

"Dad! I'm so sorry!" He ran, trying to pick up as many heads of cabbage before they rolled too far in the dirt.

The boy's father placed his hand on his son's shoulder and Zuko felt the pang of pain in his left eye as he winced in preparation of the boy's scolding.

"It's okay, son. It was an accident. I'll clean this up. Why don't you go home to your mother? She must have dinner ready by now; it's nearly nightfall."

Zuko's brow furrowed at the man's words. Before he could dwell on the manner in which he acted towards his son, his last few words echoed in Zuko's mind. He turned his gaze upwards and he saw that although it was still light out, the sun was no longer visible on the horizon and darkness was beginning to overtake the orange and pink hues of the sky.

He sighed. "Uncle better have finished. We have to leave now. I gave the crew orders to be prepared to leave at sunset," he murmured to himself.

Making his way back to the ship, Zuko was pleased to see his Uncle laughing jovially with one of the crewmembers on deck. He signaled for them to lift the walkway and begin to set sail. As the crew began to carry out his orders, one man hurried towards Zuko, bowing clumsily.

"Speak."

"Forgive me, Prince Zuko, but we can't just leave yet."

Glaring at him, Zuko demanded, "Why not?"

"Your highness, your servant has failed to return to the ship. The girl."

Unprepared for the myriad of emotions that raced through him, Zuko's jaw clenched in annoyance as his brow furrowed and his stomach dropped in confusion and fear. He had explicitly told her to return to the ship by sunset, hadn't he? And Katara had assured him that she'd be back, hadn't she? She promised that she'd come back and that she wouldn't run.

'_Of course she'd say that. What person in their right mind would admit that they're escaping to their captor?'_ an evil, snide voice whispered in his mind. It sounded, at least to him, eerily similar to Azula.

Zuko growled in anger and turned to march back down the walkway to see that they had already lifted it completely. "Lower it again!" he roared.

Iroh came to his side. "Prince Zuko, what's wrong?"

Zuko ignored him and brushed off the hand he put on his shoulder, waiting impatiently for the crew to follow his orders. As soon as the ship was once more connected to the dock, Zuko stomped down and back through the village. Back at the clearing full of vendors, he was irritated to note that nearly all of them had managed to pack up and go home. One of the few who remained was an elderly woman who was taking her time to pack up her fruit stand.

"You! Old woman! Have you seen a girl with dark brown hair and blue eyes pass by here?"

The woman glared at him and as Zuko's glare intensified, she relented. "I may have. She was very pretty… you don't forget eyes like hers. She bought a Moon peach from me and last I saw her, she was wandering down that pathway."

Zuko grunted at her in acknowledgement before tearing down that pathway. _'Is Katara crazy? She has no idea where she's heading and she blindly wanders away from public areas? How could she be so reckless? I should have just left her to teach her a lesson…'_

His pace slowed and he ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "No," he murmured. "I couldn't have."

He kept walking along the path, the realization dawning on him that it led to a cluster of small homes, their windows gently lit by the soft light of candles and torches and with the occasional sound of a child's laughter. As Zuko stood to ponder why Katara would have wandered here, a familiar looking blur collided into him and was thrown back from the collision, muttering a quick apology.

"Sorry!"

Katara steadied herself, her arms splayed out to regain her balance. Just before she took off again, Zuko lunged and captured her wrist in his hand. She immediately recoiled and jerked her hand back, but his grip held fast.

"Hey! Let go!"

Before Zuko could explain to her that it was him, Katara dropped low to the ground and when the change in levels took him by surprise, he nearly toppled over. Katara took this moment of instability to sweep her leg across his ankles and knock him over, jerking her hand away from him successfully. Zuko finally did topple over and landed onto his back with a hard thud that took the wind out of him. He groaned and saw her take off, running down the path. He groaned once more before getting back onto his feet and chasing after her.

He was able to catch up to her quickly and reached out his arm to wrap around her waist and tugged her towards him. He heard her harsh exhalation as she was pulled back. She thrashed against his hold and kicked her legs up in the air in an effort to struggle out of his arm. He tightened his hold but immediately loosened it when he heard her soft grunt of discomfort. Before she could run again, he took hold of both of her shoulders and spun her around quickly, locking eyes with her, his angry glare meeting her steely gaze.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?!"

The animosity in Katara's gaze vanished and she gasped. "Zuko?"

"Answer me, Katara! What were you doing?"

"What?" She was flustered and blinked rapidly up at him in confusion. "What was I doing? I was on my way back to the docks! I lost track of time and then when you grabbed my wrist, I just reacted!" She sighed. "I didn't know it was you," she whispered.

Katara was unsettled by the hard look on Zuko's face. "Are you sure you aren't trying to escape?"

"Escape?" she scoffed, "You make it sound as if I'm your prisoner. And no, I wasn't!"

Zuko loosened his grip and his expression turned sorrowful. "But aren't you?"

"No, I wasn't!" she insisted.

Zuko frowned. _'That's not what I was asking, Katara.'_

A speculative look appeared on Katara's face as she furrowed her brow in a mixture of bewilderment and anxiety. "Zuko?" she asked meekly. "I wasn't trying to run away," she repeated. "I've told you. I'm not going anywhere. I hope you think of me as a friend, not just your…" she made a face, "… servant."

Turning away from her, Zuko released her shoulders and strode away from her purposefully.

Katara was frozen to the spot, her confusion growing. "Zuko?"

"We're late," he called back tersely. "We need to hurry to even try and get back on schedule."

Slowly shaking her head, Katara looked behind her to see a small group of people who had come out of their homes to investigate the noises and yelling. She smiled at them reassuringly and most of them reentered their houses except for two figures that Katara knew would be Asha and Aiko. Katara gave them a short wave before making her way towards the dock.

* * *

"What do you mean we can't set sail?!" Zuko shouted. "You said yourself that there would be _no more malfunctions!"_

The ship's engineer winced and slightly shrunk away from the young prince's temper. He nervously wrung his hands together.

"Your highness, the ship is in perfect condition, I assure you. The issue at hand is the upcoming storm—"

"You're telling me that this ship can't withstand some rain?" Zuko snarled.

"Prince Zuko."

Iroh's voice cut through the tension and he stepped between Zuko and the engineer, forcing Zuko away. "This man is not a fool and he is acting in the benefit of everyone on board. Look for yourself! Look up at the sky and tell me if you still think it wise to set sail."

His jaw clenched, Zuko pushed past both his uncle and the engineer and made way towards his cabin below deck. "I don't need to look at the damn sky. Get us moving!"

Katara sighed and shook her head, turning her gaze upwards and frowning at the ominous, overcast sky. Even in the darkness of the evening, Katara could make out the darker spread of clouds approaching in the sky.

"It's really not a good idea to set sail."

"No," Iroh agreed. "But Zuko has the last word on the ship." He hid his arms in his large bell sleeves and closed his eyes. "The best we can do is hope that the spirits are on our side and that the crew is able to handle the storm."

Katara pursed her lips and nodded absently. "I don't understand why he's in such a foul mood. It all started with the message he got this morning."

"My nephew is not the type to move on quickly from such large… developments such as that. Especially when it does not agree with his plans and ideas."

Raising her eyebrows, Katara replied, "He's grasping at straws."

Iroh nodded sagely. "He's desperate for his father's approval and his return home."

The rumble of thunder echoed across the expanse of sea and both Katara and Iroh broke off their conversation to frown at the incoming storm. It wasn't long before rain fell down on them in thick sheets.

"You should retire to your cabin for the night. It will be a very long journey… if we are even able to travel through the rough waves."

Iroh nodded to her before turning towards the worried crewmembers that kept glancing up dark clouds and at each other, hushed whispers being exchanged among them. Katara took one more look at the blackness spreading across the sky and looked back at the shore, her frown deepening with worry for the inhabitants of the small village, including Asha and Aiko.

"Don't be ridiculous, Katara," she muttered to herself. She began to make her way down the ladder to return to her room like Iroh suggested, wringing out her long braid. "They'll be fine; the worse that could happen is some flooding." Katara continued her nervous rambling as she absentmindedly walked through the dimly lit hallways to her room. "The only ones who should worry are the people on this ship because some stubborn _bonehead_ is too arrogant to consider anyone else's safety. _He_ might be okay with risking his life but why risk the lives of thirty other people… no, there have to be more than thirty people on the ship right?"

"Actually, there are forty-eight."

Katara jumped and threw herself back against the wall, her eyes wide and her heart racing.

"Zuko?"

He ignored her and continued, "And I _have_ taken into account their welfare. I'm aware of the storm but I'm fairly confident in the ship and in the crew to make it through." The prince stared at her impassively and that was more unnerving to Katara than his usual temper. He looked away from her and walked past her.

"Maybe you would have been happier if I didn't come and get you from the village then. That way you wouldn't have to deal with an idiot such as myself."

Katara's mouth fell, stunned. She hurried to walk with him, but he seemed to quicken his pace.

"No, Zuko, you're taking this the wrong way—"

"Oh am I?" he retorted coolly.

"Don't be like this—"

He stopped and turned to look at her. "Like what? Like a 'stubborn bonehead'? Like a desperate little boy? Like an inconsiderate, arrogant, spoiled prince?" He laughed bitterly. "Newsflash Katara: that's exactly what I am and no matter how hopeful and idealistic you may be about seeing the good in other people, you need to realize that _that_ is the real me so stop trying to understand me because you can't."

Katara stood in silence, watching him march away, too shocked to try to respond or chase after him. She was taken out of her reverie when a crewmember pushed past her, running down the hallway towards where she knew the ship's mechanics worked to maintain the path of the ship. Three other men, all moving with equal, if not more, urgency, soon followed him.

'_The storm must be really bad…'_

Katara looked down at the water droplets still on her arms and hair purposefully. She lifted her right hand and moved it away from her body while bringing all of her fingers together and it was as if she pulled the water off of her body and she now suspended it before her. Immediately, she turned back and hurried to climb up the ladder that brought her up onto the deck.

As soon as she pushed to open the hatch that allowed her onto the deck, a strong gust of wind blew it open and Katara was quickly sprayed with a mist of water and her hair was thrown around her as loose strands were pulled from her braid by the wind. She struggled against the wind to climb out of the hatch and close it. Once she stood upright, Katara crossed her forearms in front of her face to shield it from the freezing raindrops that hit her fast and felt like tiny needles. Moving quickly, she swung her arms around her to form a protective dome around her. Trudging to the edge of the side, swaying and nearly falling several times as powerful waves rocked the ship, Katara took a deep breath before she dropped the dome and felt the water drench her as she used her Waterbending to push back the large waves that threatened to capsize the ship. Just as she had finished successfully thwarting one, she had to turn around and do the same on the other side. She grunted as a wave she didn't catch rocked the ship at its bow, nearly tossing the ship vertically and causing Katara to stop her bending to grab onto the railing lest be thrown down and slide towards the back.

Pulling herself up, Katara froze the water on the deck around her feet to anchor her in place. Determination lit her eyes as she raised her arms to push back another oncoming wave.

* * *

Zuko snarled under his breath and cursed as a particularly strong wave managed to roll him off of the cot and onto the floor. He slammed his palm on the floor before getting to his feet unsteadily. A smaller jolt had him leaning on the wall.

"Damn it!"

'_Uncle and the others were right. I was being irrational and I put us into danger and now we're stuck. I… I need to go check on Katara and apologize.'_

He threw open his door much harder than he meant to, holding onto the doorknob to avoid falling over. He zigzagged between the two walls of he hallway as he made his way to Katara's room, his arms stretched out to their full span in an attempt to grip both walls and avoid being tossed. Finally reaching Katara's door, Zuko knocked and waited.

And waited.

He frowned at the closed door.

'_Could she be sleeping?'_

He reached out to open the door and hesitated before he turned the knob and cracked it open to peek in. Zuko opened it further and stared at the empty room in confusion.

'_What? There's nowhere else to go unless she was reckless enough to go on deck.'_ Zuko groaned in exasperation. _'Reckless? And Katara? She's definitely on deck.'_

He hurried to the ladder, stumbling several times as the ship was thrown about and had to grip the ladder tightly as he climbed. When he pushed against the hatch, the wind would shove it back down. He growled at the metal door and kept constant pressure on it until the wind suddenly changed direction and flung it open. Zuko climbed out before the wind changed direction once more and closed on him. Constantly wiping his face to see was useless as the rain kept coming and obscuring his vision.

Making his way to the railing, he inched along the perimeter of the ship until he saw Katara standing near the railing opposite him. Zuko was about to call out her name when his blood ran cold and he froze. He watched a huge wave rise on her side and appeared like it would crash on her.

"Katara!"

She didn't appear to hear him over the patter of the rain on metal and the roar of the waves.

"Katara!" he cried more insistently.

Katara finally seemed to hear him and turned her back on the wave just as he was about let go of the railing and run to her. He froze when he took notice of the ice encasing her feet up to her ankles and finally noticed her arms raised up.

Katara's expression turned to one of fear and she turned her body completely towards him and she quickly moved her arms, raising them high above her head before thrusting them forwards, as if she were pushing something away from her. Zuko frowned in confusion since there was nothing in front of her. He turned around and saw the large wave that would have crashed down on him if it wasn't pushed in the opposite direction. Understanding dawned on his expression and before he could react, his own expression darkened since in her effort to save him, Katara forgot about the wave on her side.

The tower of water fell down on her and she went down, disappearing in the flood of water. Zuko immediately let go and did his best to slide his way towards her since he couldn't run over the slippery surface. The water receded and his stomach dropped when he saw her limp frame being dragged with it, nearly slamming into the railing. He dove onto his stomach and reached his arms to grab her and turned them so that he hit his back against the railing. The momentum kept pulling at her lower half, which was able to fit in the space between the railing and the deck.

Holding her securely with one arm, Zuko grunted as he reached his free arm out to pull in her legs and curl them against her body, which in turn was curled against his. He noticed that one of her ankles was bruised and he cursed, realizing that she must have broken it when the wave forced her down while she was still encased in the ice.

Zuko struggled to his feet, carrying Katara and shifting her over his shoulder as he carefully made his way to the hatch and down the ladder with one arm, rushing immediately to the infirmary.

* * *

**Acknowledgements:**

**Britt88:** But Sokka is just so loveable in his facepalm-causing ways! Best kind of brother ever! Haha thanks for the review.

**Cupuffle:** Thank you so much for the lovely review. I hope Katara does that for Zuko as well… I mean, didn't she _kinda_ do that in the series? That second season finale was _so gewd_. Hahaha! I'll admit, my disjointed update schedule somewhat leaves me discombobulated and unsure of where I've left off and so it screws up the timeline in terms of how fast everything is occurring. I'm also managing two separate timelines in the story. You're well within your rights to ignore my pacing and imagine everything taking as long as you want lol.

**Brianna: **Aw :3 You're really too kind! Thank you for your amazingly nice review. This story is worth that many "love!"s, eh? I don't believe it haha!

Erm… yeah this was more of a filler chapter, although I tried to include character and relationship development. Sigh. I pinky promise that the next one will be a lot more interesting! I just really wanted to get something out for you guys since I basically took writing off of my list of my priorities this last semester. This semester was a killer x_x. Sorry! Good news is that with summer, I'm probably going to have a lot of time to write ;) As always, read, review, and wonder.

PS: has anyone seen/read _The Search_ comics? The ones about Ursa? The first part alone is crazy (in a good way)! Can't wait for part two :)


	12. The Realisation

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs purely to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Chapter 11: The Realization

* * *

**Summary: **As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty, life, and love, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

_Last Time…_

_"Katara!"_

_She didn't appear to hear him over the patter of the rain on metal and the roar of the waves._

_"Katara!" he cried more insistently._

_Katara finally seemed to hear him and turned her back on the wave just as he was about let go of the railing and run to her. He froze when he took notice of the ice encasing her feet up to her ankles and finally noticed her arms raised up._

_Katara's expression turned to one of fear and she turned her body completely towards him and she quickly moved her arms, raising them high above her head before thrusting them forwards, as if she were pushing something away from her. Zuko frowned in confusion since there was nothing in front of her. He turned around and saw the large wave that would have crashed down on him if it wasn't pushed in the opposite direction. Understanding dawned on his expression and before he could react, his own expression darkened since in her effort to save him, Katara forgot about the wave on her side._

_The tower of water fell down on her and she went down, disappearing in the flood of water. Zuko immediately let go and did his best to slide his way towards her since he couldn't run over the slippery surface. The water receded and his stomach dropped when he saw her limp frame being dragged with it, nearly slamming into the railing. He dove onto his stomach and reached his arms to grab her and turned them so that he hit his back against the railing. The momentum kept pulling at her lower half, which was able to fit in the space between the railing and the deck._

_Holding her securely with one arm, Zuko grunted as he reached his free arm out to pull in her legs and curl them against her body, which in turn was curled against his. He noticed that one of her ankles was bruised and he cursed, realizing that she must have broken it when the wave forced her down while she was still encased in the ice._

_Zuko struggled to his feet, carrying Katara and shifting her over his shoulder as he carefully made his way to the hatch and down the ladder with one arm, rushing immediately to the infirmary._

* * *

Using his shoulder to burst through the infirmary door, Zuko gently lay Katara onto a bed. He gently lifted her head to press his fingers to her neck and feel for her pulse. Zuko sighed in relief when he felt the faint thumping against the pads of his fingers. Carefully hovering over her mouth and nose, Zuko frowned at her lack of breath and immediately pinched her nose and gently held her jaw with his other hand. His heartbeat thudded in his ears and he lowered his mouth to hers and blew two quick breaths before pulling back and placing his cheek above her mouth to check for breathing. He cursed and repeated the process until Katara began to cough up water. Zuko gently turned her head to the side and he gently brushed away the wet tendrils of hair that was in her face.

He checked her pulse again and noted that it was still stable and he also made sure she was breathing steadily before he left her and tore into the nearby office searching for the on board doctor. He saw him sitting at his desk, peering over several papers and grabbed the back of his shirt and lifted the man to his feet.

"I've brought in a girl. She's lying unconscious on the bed with a broken ankle. Go!"

The doctor nodded quickly, "Yes, Prince Zuko!"

He ran out of his office, pausing to grab some tools from his desk and he nearly fell when the ship was rocked by a wave again. Zuko followed after and watched as he had called for his one assistant to aid in carefully bandaging Katara's ankle.

"Is there anything else?"

"A wave overwhelmed her. She probably hit her head."

The doctor made a quiet "hmm" sound in acknowledgement. "Most likely inhaled some water, as well," he muttered. He turned to Zuko and nodded approvingly, "It's a good thing you turned her on her side then, should any water in her lungs come up and choke her."

Zuko felt the heat in his cheeks but ignored it as he murmured, "I already gave her mouth to mouth resuscitation. She coughed up some water already."

"Might not be all of it. In any case, you did well, Prince Zuko." He looked her over and nodded approvingly once again at the constant rise and fall of her chest. "She should be fine, although that nasty bump on her head may have given her a concussion…"

The doctor leaned over Katara's face and gently pulled back her eyelids. He lit a small finger on the tip of his finger and held it up to her eyes. Zuko tensed at the close proximity between Katara's face and the flame. "Her pupils are responsive… Prince Zuko, I can't do anymore until she wakes up and lets us know how she feels. Or unless we get to land and find a healer."

"There's no way we can get to land until this storm passes," Zuko growled.

"Then the best we can do is hope Miss Katara wakes up soon. Even if she doesn't have a concussion, I don't like her being unconscious with a head injury."

"Dr. Zhou… she'll be alright though, won't she?"

Dr. Zhou peered up at the young prince in slight surprise at the quiet tone his voice took. He tried to get a good luck at him, but his shaggy black hair obstructed his face. "I assure you, Prince Zuko, Katara will be fine."

He gestured at Zuko's wet clothes and hair. "You should change your clothes and dry off. Liang and I will be here with Katara."

Zuko shook his head adamantly. "I can just use my Firebending to dry off. I'm not leaving."

"That may be the case, your highness, but Katara also needs a new change of clothes. Liang will take care of that while you go change."

Zuko blushed again and nodded quickly. "I'll just be outside then." He swiftly left the infirmary to lean on the wall outside of the door, his head in his hands. He took a deep breath and by his exhale, steam rose up from his clothes and body, leaving him warm and dry.

After what seemed like hours, the infirmary door opened quietly and Liang stuck her head out and motioned for Zuko to come back in. He walked in slowly, observing quietly as Liang fussed over the sheets, raising them up over Katara's body and then tenderly probing at her ankle and adjusting the elevation of her leg. With one last soft brush of Katara's hair to keep it out of her face, Liang turned back to Zuko and nodded before disappearing into the offices where Zuko assumed Dr. Zhou had already returned.

He dragged a chair over to her side and plopped down, shaking his head again.

"What the hell… I don't understand…"

Raising his gaze from his hands to Katara's face, Zuko pursed his lips before he reached out to cover her hand with one of his. "Thank you."

'_She saved my life… she risked her life to make sure the rest of us would be okay. How long could she have been up there? She was completely soaked… but what a powerful bender.'_

Still unable to wrap his head around the fact that Katara was a Waterbender, Zuko lowered his head onto his arm.

'_A waterbender. A _waterbender_. If she kept that a secret, then what else did she lie about? I… Do I really know anything about her then? Do I know who she is?'_

Staring at their two hands, Zuko remembered the first conversation he had with Katara in which he felt as if he had found a real confidante— someone who could understand where he was coming from. They had both shared stories of how they lost their mothers. Katara had worried about him, been in the position he was in right now— staying at his bedside while he was injured. She treated him as more than just a prince. She laughed with him and wasn't afraid to laugh _at_ him. He might not know exactly where Katara came from or her reason for being in the Fire Nation but he was fairly positive— no, Zuko _knew_— even if Katara lied about where she came from, he knew her heart.

"I know exactly who you are," he whispered. _'And I'll wait until you're ready to explain things to me.'_

This realization was the last thought to filter through his fatigued mind before he drifted to sleep.

…

Katara groaned and reached a hand up to her temple, or at least she tried to. When she attempted to pull her hand up, it was restrained by a weight. Forcing her tired eyes open, Katara was more than shocked at the dark haired young man resting his head on the edge of her bed. He was sleeping on top of her hand. She stopped wriggling her hand and used her other one to gently probe her left temple, which was throbbing.

She hissed at the contact but before she jerked her fingers back, she had felt the large bump. Katara also noted the harshness in her chest and throat when she breathed, likely due to the saltwater she had inhaled when it overtook her. Her eyes were also burning.

'_It feels good when I close my eyes… I'll just sleep for a little bit more… Heal myself later.'_

Katara sighed and turned onto her side, wincing as the movement caused pain in her left ankle. She gingerly adjusted it before the drowsiness took over, her eyesight becoming blurry. The last thing she saw was the dark messy hair in front of her and she smiled softly before falling back to sleep.

…

Zuko jerked awake when he felt slight motion on the bed, expecting to see Katara awake and fussing. He rubbed his good eye and blinked to force his vision to focus and he frowned in confusion at Katara's sleeping countenance.

"I'm sorry, Prince Zuko, that was me," Liang's soft voice echoed in the empty infirmary. "I was merely changing the bandaging on her ankle," she explained.

"She still hasn't woken up," Zuko concluded forlornly.

"Oh no, she has. Granted, she doesn't stay awake for very long periods of time, but the doctor and I have seen her open her eyes and look around for a few moments before dozing back to sleep. She seems less and less disorientated every time she wakes up and she seems to last a little longer each time, so the doctor is growing more confident that she should recover in no time and be back to normal without any long term problems."

"Thank you, Liang."

"Of course. Would you like me to get something from the galley for you? I can get one of the servants to bring it."

"No, it's fine."

Liang smiled at him, as if she knew something he didn't. "Katara was mumbling something about feeding you and getting you in a proper bed before she went back to sleep."

Rolling his eye, Zuko drawled, "I'm sure she did. But it's fine."

"Ok. Well I'll be retiring to my cabin but you can call for me or the doctor if any complications arise, although I doubt there'll be any."

"Thank you, Liang," he reiterated.

The older woman smiled at him kindly before quietly ducking out of the infirmary. Zuko groaned as he rotated his neck, one of his hands massaging his neck. He winced when he heard the soft cracking in his joints as he reached an arm up above him.

"Agni, Katara," he groaned. "How did you manage to do this when I was the one stuck in the infirmary?"

As Zuko twisted his torso he heard his back crack and he arched upwards and heard more cracking. He sat back down and stared at her face, peaceful and still. The only motion came from the slight rise and fall of her chest. He peered down at her hands, and slowly reached out one of his own, hesitating before he took it. Turning her hand over in his, he gently trailed his fingertips along the lines of her palm and up her delicate fingers.

"Small hands, but so much power," he whispered, remembering the image of her on deck, completely drenched by the cold water, her hair matted against her scalp and face and her clothes weighing heavily against her small frame. But the sheer power she showed as she controlled the rough waves was impressive.

"Why is it that you always get yourself into trouble and make me worry about you constantly? I guess that's fair since I put you through this last time…" he recalled, remembering her presence at his bed after his father had attacked him.

Thinking back to when he was in Katara's position, Zuko stared once more at her hands, remembering the bright blue glow he had seen through bleary eyes or from behind his lids when sleep was starting to leave him.

'_I've heard of that before… the glowing light of a Waterbender's healing. She was… trying to heal me? She's a healer!'_

His eyes widened and he left Katara's side to search the infirmary for an empty basin and then a faucet to fill it with before placing at her bedside table and sitting back down, once more taking her hand in his.

Zuko glanced around the infirmary and towards the offices, even though he knew that Dr. Zhou and Liang had long retired to their own cabins. He flushed before he whispered, "I don't know if you can hear this or if I'm just being an idiot, but I want you to get better soon, Katara. Just wake up, okay? Just be okay?"

He frowned at the lack of change in her expression and sighed, lowering his head onto the edge of the bed and forcing himself to sleep.

...

Katara slowly opened her eyes, wearily glancing around the room and was surprised to see Zuko still sleeping at her bedside, although this time instead of pinning her hand down, he held it in one of his own. She felt herself blush and tried to ignore the feeling of something fluttering in her stomach, but she couldn't help but smile at him. Her head was still pounding from the impact from when she fell against the deck, but when she pressed her free hand to where she remembered the bump being, she was pleased to note the swelling had gone down. The same, however, couldn't be said about her ankle.

Looking at her bedside table, Katara raised her eyebrows at the basin filled with water. In a panic, she glanced between it and Zuko, confused.

'_He… I thought for sure he saw me waterbending. But if he's still here with me and I'm in the infirmary instead of the brig, then I… I guess he didn't. But why else is there a basin full of water if he doesn't know?'_

Katara nearly laughed out loud at herself.

'_Stupid. It's probably from the doctor cleaning me up or something. Stop being so paranoid, Katara.' _She glanced back at the basin. _'But since it's here, I might as well… but I need to make sure I don't heal too much or they'll be suspicious. Might as well work on my ankle first. The worst the bump on my head will give me now is an ugly bruise.'_

Lifting her raised hand, she bent some water out of the basin and grunted as she tried to sit up without waking up Zuko and leaned towards her ankle, her face contorted in effort as she stretched to reach it. She sighed at the instant relief and explored the injury, satisfied at that there were no torn ligaments or any damage to the joint. Katara saw the bruising on her ankle lighten and decided to stop there, bending the water back into the basin.

Katara glanced down at Zuko and her gaze softened once more. "So stubborn… I told the nurse to tell him to get into a real bed."

Zuko's voice was husky from sleep and muffled by the arm he rested his head on. "I was worried. And my back can handle sleeping in a chair better than yours did," he replied, repeating the words she used on him when he berated her for sleeping at his bedside.

He turned his head and looked up at her from without lifting his head, his cheek still resting against his forearm. "Care to explain what you think you were doing on deck during the storm?"

Katara tensed up and stammered, "I-I-I was…"

Zuko sat up with a slight frown. _'She's scared to tell me. Well of course she is, she'll think that I'll toss her overboard if she tells me.'_

"Do you want anything to eat?"

"I— what?" Katara was flustered from trying to think of an excuse and then Zuko's sudden change in topic.

"You've been out for a while. You need to eat something," he said plainly.

"Uh… yeah, I guess I'm kind of hungry."

"I'll go get something from the galley then." Zuko stood, wincing slightly at the soreness in his body. "Anything in mind?"

With a small smile, Katara paused to think before she answered innocently, "Sizzle-crisps?"

"Sizzle-crisps?" Zuko asked skeptically. "I don't think Dr. Zhou would let me get away with that. I was thinking of a bowl of jook."

Katara made a face, scrunching up her nose and squinting her blue eyes at him.

Zuko sighed. "I might be able to sneak some leechi nuts onto it." He flushed when Katara beamed back at him in gratitude.

"Thanks, Zuko. And sorry, for all of this."

"Just… get better, okay?"

Katara smiled and quietly murmured, "Mm-hmm. Now hurry back before I fall back asleep." She yawned and held a hand to her head, grimacing.

"Your head hurts?"

"It's not that bad. I have a huge bump, right? Bound to have some headaches."

"Katara, I don't think—"

"It's nothing, I'm sure. Please, just go eat."

Zuko hesitated at the door, but nodded and hurried to the galley to get her food, hoping the cook wouldn't be too grumpy when he woke him up. When he returned to the infirmary with the two bowls of jook, Katara's topped with not just leechi nuts, but ash bananas as well. Katara smiled at him lethargically and took the bowl from him, although her grip was shaky. Zuko helped her hold the bowl and frowned at her.

"Are you sure you're okay to eat?"

Her brows knitting together, she blinked at the food and made a face. "Maybe you're right. It might be the ship's rocking but I'm feeling kind of nauseated."

"Nauseated? I should go get Dr. Zhou."

"No, no, no. It's nothing, I'm sure," she repeated.

"Katara, I think that—"

Katara held a hand up, the other going back to her head. "Hold on, I can't win an argument with you if I can't look at you and I can't look at you when I'm seeing double."

"You're seeing double now? I don't care what you say, Katara, I'm getting Dr. Zhou."

"You're over… reacting," she slurred.

Zuko quickly took the bowl from her limp hands as her eyes rolled back and her head fell back onto her pillow and carelessly put the bowl on her bedside table, taking her face in his hands and gently rapping his fingertips against her face to wake her up. He pulled back her eyelids, unnerved at her lack of response. He ran out of the infirmary towards Dr. Zhou's cabin, knocking insistently on the door.

"Dr. Zhou! Wake up! I need you in the infirmary!"

The sleepy man opened the door, his glasses askew and his shoes mismatched. "Who-how-wuzzit?"

"Infirmary! Now!" Zuko roared.

"Oh! Yes, yes, of course your highness."

Zuko had to admit that the man was quick to urgency when his job called for it. He followed him back to Katara and he was quick about checking for her pulse and breathing before checking her pupil dilation, his brow furrowed. Dr. Zhou sighed and his expression was grim when he looked at the anxious prince.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you doing anything?"

"I'm sorry, Prince Zuko, but I can't tell what's wrong with her unless we get to a more sophisticated facility or find a healer. As far as I can tell, that bump on her head probably caused more than a concussion— she may be suffering from a cerebral hemmorhage."

"A what?"

"Bleeding in her brain."

Dr. Zhou looked as if he were bracing himself for Zuko's temper but before Zuko could respond, the infirmary door opened to reveal one of his lieutenants. He bowed respectfully before addressing Zuko.

"Your highness, in the past few hours, the storm has decreased considerably in strength and size. However, it has prevented us from making much headway and we are still only a few kilometers from Whale Tail Island. One of my men tells me that another storm may be approaching. Would you like us to return or continue on towards the Southern Water Tribe?"

Zuko grit his teeth. There would most likely be healers at the Southern Water Tribe but they'd be delayed by the storm most likely, and he didn't know how much time Katara had. Even if they did manage to make it there in time, the tribe's warriors would delay them. An unconscious Water Tribe girl also wouldn't help that particular situation.

"Tell me, the Fire Nation military post on Whale Tail Island, are there healers?"

"There should be. Any captured healer in the past century has been stationed throughout the Fire Nation's camps all over the world."

"Then we're turning back. Full speed, do you understand?."

"Yes, Prince Zuko."

Dr. Zhou turned his attention back to Zuko. "I'm sorry, Prince Zuko. Without more complex tools, I can't accurately diagnose or treat her. I'd rather err on the side of caution."

"No, I understand," Zuko replied numbly. His gaze didn't leave Katara. "There's nothing we can do until we get there," he concluded.

"I'm afraid not. I'd suggest you get some sleep, your highness."

Zuko grunted at him before reclaiming his seat by Katara's bedside. Dr. Zhou cast the two a solemn look before wearily returning to his cabin.

Turning his gaze upwards, shaking his head, Zuko once more took her hand. "Look, I'm not a big believer in the Spirit World like my uncle is, but please, if there's any spirit that can help her, please just keep Katara safe," he whispered brokenly.

* * *

Zuko's jaw clenched, his stare unwavering as he watched the older woman maneuver her glowing hands over Katara's head, her wizened face contorted with focus. With a deep breath, he crossed his arms, his hands still in tight fists, and knit his eyebrows together, a crease appearing between them. Zuko turned when his uncle put a hand on his shoulder.

"Perhaps it might be better for you to take a walk, Prince Zuko."

"I'm not leaving."

"I'm aware of your concern, but it is manifesting itself in such a way that may be disruptive to Pukiq," he gestured to the healer taking care of Katara. Iroh held up a hand to still Zuko when his nephew opened his mouth to speak. "I'm sure that she doesn't appreciate the frequent sighing or the tapping of your foot, nephew."

"That's not necessary," Pukiq spoke up. "I've been trained and am used to working under distracting conditions. Prince Zuko can stay; I've finished."

"You finished?" Zuko finally moved towards Katara's side, unable to do so earlier due to the unspoken boundary that Pukiq had set when she first began healing Katara.

"She's a strong girl. She'll need some rest for the next few hours, but she'll be fine. I managed to stop the bleeding and alleviate the swelling. The spirits must have smiled down on you, Prince Zuko. Any later, and I don't know what I, or any other healer for that matter, could have done. You can stay with her, if you'd like, but I hope it goes without saying that she shouldn't be disturbed until she wakes up of her own accord. Head injuries are nasty to deal with."

"Nephew, why don't you go get some rest in a proper bed. I'll stay with Miss Katara and call for you as soon as she wakes up."

"No."

"Prince Zuko—"

"Uncle, I said no." Zuko tiredly ran a hand through his hair. "You and the other men go have dinner or breakfast or whatever meal is appropriate right now." He glanced out of the window and blinked at the inky sky. "Have your music night on the ship, drink up all the liquor and tea in the village for all I care. I'll be here."

"He's stubborn, isn't he?" Pukiq whispered to Iroh.

"To a fault," Iroh nodded. "But he is extremely loyal as well. And my nephew, though he may not show it, cares deeply for those he considers a friend."

"Strange though… to see the devotion a prince will show his servant," she mused.

Iroh chuckled as they walked out of the infirmary. "That, I believe, is all due to the young lady sleeping inside."

Zuko shook his head, hearing all of the muted conversation. He frowned once more at Katara's face before eyeing the cot next to hers. He wanted to stay awake, make sure he was there the moment she opened her eyes, but the sleep deprivation and constant worry from the past two nights were beginning to take a toll on him. Resigned, he lay down on his side, facing Katara's cot and fell into a fitful sleep, still, even in an unconscious state, anxious and aware of Katara.

What seemed like seconds later, Zuko wearily opened his eyes, his blurry vision still in Katara's direction. Staggering to his feet, he stood at her side and was shocked when her eyes fluttered open and she gave him a sleepy smile.

"You're awake," he gasped.

"Mmm…" she managed. "I'm so tired," she mumbled.

"Then you should go back to sleep," Zuko gently, his voice low and husky.

Either she didn't hear him or she ignored him. "Where are we?" she asked, her voice still tinged with a dreamy quality that told Zuko she still was less than coherent, if her half-lidded eyes weren't already an indication.

"Whale Tail Island." Zuko stared at her and fought to hold back his smile at her peculiar behavior, wondering if maybe while he was asleep Pukiq or Dr. Zhou had slipped her some sort of pain medication or herbal version. He had heard from some of the men who had come across strange drinks in the Si Wong Desert.

"Again? Oh maybe I'll see Asha," she yawned. She drowsily blinked, each one slower than the previous blink.

Zuko raised his eyebrows. "My father's former concubine? She's not here, Katara."

"No, she is." Katara insisted. "She lives here with her daughter… they cooked dinner for me the other nigh…"

Before he knew it, Katara was already fast asleep and he sat back down onto the cot he slept on.

'_Asha? I had heard that she was kicked out of the palace for angering my father… Of course, knowing him, he probably beat her and left her for dead on the streets but then how did she end up here?'_

His golden eyes turned back to the sleeping Waterbender and it suddenly made sense to him.

"You healed her," he whispered. "And sent her back home to her daughter. Of course you would," he concluded tenderly, his eyes softening.

With a sigh, Zuko sank backwards onto his cot, adjusting his pack under his neck, which he used as a substitute for a pillow. He grimaced at a certain lump in one of the pockets that seemed to jab him right at the nape of his neck. Sitting back up, he dug through the front pockets to find whatever was prodding him. Finding it, Zuko grasped it and pulled it out of his pack, opening his fist and letting the singular pendant slide out, the necklace held up by the delicate silver chain wound through his fingers.

Once more, he found himself transfixed by the pendant— a ring made of blue stone, marbled with touches of white and green. The stone was decorated in an elegant silver filigree of swirls. Zuko looked between it and Katara, staring at Katara perhaps with a lingering gaze before he returned the necklace to his pack.

"That's a beautiful necklace."

Zuko nearly jumped out of the cot before he turned and saw Pukiq with a fresh basin of water. "Oh… thanks," he mumbled. He watched her kneel on the floor next to Katara's cot and bend the water around her hands before they glowed and she brought her hands to Katara's head.

"I see you've got some sleep."

"Yeah… how long was I asleep?"

"It's morning now. That's why I've come back to check on Katara and give her another healing session." Pukiq nervously glanced at Zuko out of the corner of her eye before returning her gaze to Katara's head, focusing on her chi paths.

"Morning? I could have sworn that I was only asleep for a few moments."

"That happens when you're overly anxious. I assume it's over this young lady?"

"Amongst other things," Zuko evaded. He blushed when Pukiq smiled in an annoyingly knowing way.

"You… care for her a great deal, don't you?"

Zuko blinked at her and his blush deepened.

"Forgive me for my nosiness, Prince Zuko. Just being an old woman."

"I… I do care for Katara. She's one of my few friends. Maybe my only real friend."

"Ah… no wonder she's so precious to you." Pukiq smiled kindly at him. "Don't worry, she'll be just fine with some more rest." She returned her hands to the basin to return the water.

Zuko looked down at his hands then back to his pack. "Do you think she'd like the necklace?"

There was a clatter as Pukiq knocked over the basin, spilling water everywhere. Flustered, she clumsily bent the water from the floor into a ball in the air while Zuko hurried to help her by bending over and picking up the basin and holding it as she filled it with water.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine. Are you telling me that that necklace is intended for Katara? Tell me, exactly how do you feel about her?"

"Well I didn't intend to buy it for her. I bought it because… well I don't know. And I thought that maybe she'd like it." Zuko fidgeted uncharacteristically under her scrutiny. "I thought it'd make a nice gift."

"A… gift."

Zuko stared at her. "Yeah, a gift."

"I'm sorry, it's just sometimes I forget that we come from different cultures. For my people, it's customary to signify your intention to marry a girl by giving her a necklace, usually hand carved by the man." She laughed softly to herself. "I suppose that's not the case in the Fire Nation. Or for whatever nation Katara comes from," she added quickly.

Zuko shook his head and replied absently, "No, there's an exchange of rings." His heart was pounding in his chest at the thought that he might have inadvertently proposed to Katara.

Pukiq nodded in understanding.

"If you don't mind my asking, where are you from? I know you must be from a Water Tribe."

"The Northern Water Tribe. I had chosen a long time ago to move to our sister colony in the south to help them when they were struggling. Then I was captured in a raid before being stationed all over the world to heal whoever I was told to heal."

Seeing how stricken Zuko looked at her story, she ventured a hand on his arm to console him. "Don't fret, Prince Zuko. I've made peace a long time ago with my fate and I'm happy here at Whale Tail Island. I've even found my husband here."

"Your husband?"

"Yes. He was an Earth Kingdom refugee that fled the continent for a quieter life here on the island. But he got into an accident and the village people brought him here to be healed."

"A Water Tribe woman and an Earth Kingdom man," Zuko mused.

"Yes, I'm sure unions between people from two different nations aren't common in the Fire Nation capital."

"Unheard of."

"Interesting," Pukiq commented. Looking back to Katara, she asked, "So how did you two meet? I understand she's your servant, but that doesn't tell me how she ended up in the Fire Nation."

"She said she was a refugee from the Fire Nation colonies in the western Earth Kingdom. Orphaned and looking for a job, she found her way to the capital and eventually under my service."

"Interesting," Pukiq repeated.

"More like mysterious," Zuko confessed. "Sometimes I feel like I know who she is, I'm even certain sometimes, but at the same time…" he groaned in exasperation, "It's like it's backwards. I know who she is deep down inside, I know her character, but I don't know all of the details on the surface. I'm still not sure I know her as well as I should."

"As well as you should? A woman's secrets are sometimes better kept to herself and she'll reveal them when she feels ready."

"But what if you know that she might be too scared to tell you?"

"Then the best advice I can give you, Prince Zuko, is to convince her there's nothing to be scared of."

Zuko's dark brows knit together in contemplation over Pukiq's words. "Thank you for the advice."

"I'll thank you in advance for listening," she replied cheekily, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "I'll be back to check on her at sunset, that is, if she's not already up."

"She'll be better by then?"

"Most likely. Her brain is recovering well and responding to the healing sessions. Even if she does wake up early, I'll still want to fit in another one. You can set sail again by tomorrow morning again." Pukiq gave him a small smile that Zuko acknowledged with a nod before she left.

'_There _is_ a way I can find out more about Katara… she bonded quickly with Asha and if Asha's here… I can talk to her.'_

With a last glance at the sleeping girl who had taken over so much of him, Zuko grabbed his pack and left the infirmary and made his way into the heart of the small surrounding village, walking back onto the path where he had seen Katara on.

* * *

Shifting uncomfortably, Zuko simultaneously fought the urge to knock on the door again as well as the contrasting urge to sprint away from the door before it opened. Thankfully, it seemed that the decision was made for him when the door was pulled back and revealed a girl not much younger than himself. Her face was kind and she had round eyes the color of butterscotch.

"You must be Asha's daughter," he blurted out.

Aiko frowned at him, taking note of his obvious Fire Nation heritage, her gaze lingering on the still fresh scar over his left eye. "Can I help you?" she asked hesitantly, her grasp on the door tight, illustrated by her white knuckles.

"Is your mother home? I need to speak to her."

"No," she said a little too quickly. "She's not home right now. Maybe if you come back another time." Aiko began to close the door but Zuko placed a firm hand on it.

"Please, I really need to speak to her."

"Aiko, it's fine. Let him in."

Asha pulled back the door and sighed. "Hello, Prince Zuko. Please, come in."

Zuko followed after her into their quaint sitting room, Aiko closing the front door after him, her round eyes even wider with fear. Asha sat at the table and poured three cups of tea, pushing one across from her towards him.

"Sit."

Doing as she asked, Zuko sat and took the offered cup, although he merely hugged his fingers around the small ceramic cup instead of drinking it. "I just wanted to say that I had no idea that my father would do that to you. Well I knew that he was capable of it, I just never thought he would. I'm _so_ sorry—"

"I know it's not your fault. We all know that there's no one in the world who could convince your father to do anything. And think of it as a blessing. I was able to return home to my daughter."

"With Katara's help," Zuko supplied.

Asha arched an eyebrow at him. "Yes, she did," she replied vaguely.

"I know."

Asha straightened up, her fingers tightening around the teacup. "You know?"

"That Katara's a Waterbender. And she most likely healed you after what my father did."

Asha relaxed slightly. "She did. And I'm forever grateful to her for that."

'_So she's a healer,' _Zuko confirmed.

She reached out and took Aiko's hand in hers, smiling tenderly at her daughter. "But explain to me, Prince Zuko, exactly how you figured this out and what else you know."

Bristling slightly at Asha's orders, Zuko told her, "My ship got caught in a storm shortly after setting sail. It was reckless of me to try and sail through it, but I wanted to get on with my mission. I found her on deck, bending waves away from the ship and keeping us from capsizing. She saved me from being swept away and in the process, got taken down by a wave herself. So I rushed her to the infirmary and then back here to be treated by a healer." He paused to let the information sink in before continuing, "She had a head injury so she's kind of out of it. She started mumbling about you so I set out to find you."

"And you don't find the secrecy unsettling? You still trust her?"

"Are you telling me that I shouldn't?" Zuko retorted heatedly.

"Of course not. There's no one else more trustworthy than that girl, but I guess what I'm really asking is whether she should trust _you_."

"Of course she can trust me. I haven't told anyone else about the fact she's from the Water Tribe, despite her lying to me for months about her origin. I'm just tired of the secrecy."

"And tell me, what do you suppose is her reasoning for coming to the Fire Nation, for coming to you?" At Zuko's reticence, Asha sighed. "Why not just tell her what you know and be done with all the secrecy? By telling her you're aware, she'd most likely feel obligated to tell you the rest."

"Because I want her to tell me herself. I don't want her to _feel _obligated," he sneered and made a face. "I want her to trust me." Zuko abruptly stood up and began pacing. "I want to know for myself that she trusts me."

"Then I'm going to ask you again. Her role in all of this, the reason why she came to the Fire Nation, became your servant? The possibilities don't unnerve you?"

Turning to match her gaze, Zuko admitted, "It terrifies me."

"Why?"

"I don't know," he muttered.

"You don't know?" Asha asked skeptically. "Not for feeling like a fool by being duped by a young girl? For possible betrayal of your nation? Your father?"

"My father cast me out! My nation abandoned me!"

"Then why continue on this fool's quest to search for the Avatar?"

"To try and get some semblance of respect and honor for myself! So that I can prove that I'm worthy!"

"To your father?"

"Yes, to him, to my sister, to _everyone_!"

"To Katara," Asha added sagely.

Zuko didn't reply, keeping his gaze steady.

"You have nothing to prove to her. I could see it when I still lived in the palace. She is truly your friend and cares for you. I told you this before your Agni Kai. As for your fear that she might betray you, do you think she has it in her to do that?"

"No. But I doubt I rank higher than her family— her people!"

"I can't pretend that I know exactly what she thinks or feels. And it's not within my power to tell you her story. But I don't think that why you came here."

"I thought that's why I did."

"But?"

"I thought I wanted answers but I guess I can only get them from Katara."

"Prince Zuko, I promise you that you have nothing to fear. But you're right. Katara would do anything for those she cares about. It's her main priority to protect those she keeps in her heart so remember this when you confront her."

"I'm not going to confront her." Zuko nodded to himself. "I know exactly who she is and I have nothing to fear. I… care about her, maybe too much, but I trust her and I'll wait until she's ready." Speaking the words aloud had a resounding effect on Zuko as he felt the strength of his words.

"And if you don't like what she has to say?"

"I accept all of Katara. No more, no less."

For the first time, Asha smiled at him. "There's a lot of your mother in you, Prince Zuko."

Zuko tensed but nodded at her. "If you want to visit Katara, she should be awake soon." He turned on his heel towards her door.

"Thank you. We will. But where are you going?"

Zuko paused in the threshold. "I just need some time to myself."

"Prince Zuko, don't try to think your way through this. Follow your instincts and listen to your heart is telling you. It won't lead you astray."

Aiko slowly got up and walked to the window, watching Zuko's back as he slowly made his way down a footpath. "Mom, he… he really does care about Katara, doesn't he?"

"I think it might be more than that, Aiko. But he's had a rough life, even as Prince of the Fire Nation. It's hard for him to let people in, although I think that Katara's made startling progress in the few months they've known each other. He doesn't know how to process his feelings."

"His feelings?"

"Since his mother disappeared, I don't think Zuko remembers what love feels like. He'll realize it soon, though. Now, let's go visit Katara."

"Should we tell her that he knows?"

Hesitating slightly, Asha shook her head. "Zuko confided in us and that's a lot for him. We should respect his privacy and wishes. He wants her to tell him herself on her own terms. I don't want to meddle."

* * *

Sighing for what seemed like the thousandth time Zuko plopped onto a tree stump in the middle of the thick forest he had been wandering around in.

"Ok. Just stop being a hothead and think it through, Zuko."

He groaned. "But Asha told me not to think."

"And who said that Asha knew everything about everyone in the world?" he muttered to himself.

He roared in frustration. "Agni! I'm arguing with myself now."

Zuko grit his teeth and pushed himself off of the tree stomp, resuming his pacing, which had already worn a circle in the ground.

"What do I know? What's the problem? Is there a problem?" He gripped at his hair, groaning again. "Ok, Katara's a Waterbender. She's from a Water Tribe. So how did she end up at the Fire Nation? By boat. Agni, now I'm being a sarcastic jerk to myself. Uncle always said I could never think things through…"

'_Just say it, Zuko. Just what is it exactly that you're trying to avoid?_'

Zuko froze. "The possibility that Katara came to betray me." As he said it, Zuko felt his stomach drop and held his head in his hands again. "But she wouldn't, _she wouldn't_."

'_But I'm never that lucky, am I?'_

"Okay, for the sake of argument, let's say she came as some sort of spy. She hasn't done anything. Sure, okay, in the beginning, she snuck around the palace but that stopped after a while, didn't it? And she knows how to fight, but then again, any kid who grew up in the streets would have to learn how to take care of herself. The factory explosion just before we left… the way that guy seemed to know her… Jet. He managed to get into the palace, too."

His heart felt heavier and Zuko stopped his pacing to glance up at the sky, shocked at how the day had disappeared and was shifting to night.

"But everything changed, didn't it? After… after my Agni Kai. She was at my bedside. She took care of me. Katara stayed with me and joined me willingly on this dumb quest to find the Avatar. Wouldn't it be more useful to stay behind in the palace? Katara saved my life and risked her own to save the ship from the storm. How can a dangerous person be so generous and selfless?" He stared back at the path he had strayed from, lost in his thoughts.

Heading back to the infirmary, Zuko's resolved strengthened.

"There's a damn good explanation for it. And I still trust her."

* * *

Boisterous laughter filled the home as Hakoda grunted and nearly fell backwards from the momentum of his grandson catapulting himself at his grandfather. After the initial shock, Hakoda's booming laughter joined the others as he tossed Sato in the air before deftly catching the giggling six year old and holding him in his arms as he turned to his son and daughter-in-law.

"When are you guys having another one of these, huh?"

Suki blushed and laughed quietly, hugging Sika from behind while Sokka took Sena from Kanna's arms.

"Hey, I already gave you three. Why don't you bother Katara for some babies?"

Kanna said, "I already did when she was here a few days ago. Said some nonsense about being too busy."

Suki supplied, "I suppose it's also pretty difficult when they're spending the majority of their time on the back of Appa.

All of the men made a face. Hakoda scowled. "I don't want to hear about my daughter doing anything that may lead to grandchildren."

"Oh, but of course you want little bending grandchildren, don't you?"

"I don't care whether they bend, but Mother, if you're asking if I'd like grandchildren from Katara, of course I do. She's just going to have them by immaculate conception."

Sato scrunched up his face. "What does that mean, Gramp-Gramp?"

Hakoda blanched and laughed nervously. "Why don't you go ask your father about that later?"

"It's late. I'll take them to our place," Suki said. She took Sena from her husbands arms, cooing lightly at her sleeping toddler before kissing Sokka quickly and bidding everyone good night, her other two children obediently walking after her, though Sato still had a confused frown on his face.

"I'm glad you two decided to also build a home here," Kanna said.

Sokka shrugged. "It makes sense, doesn't it?" He settled into the a chair around the dining table, relishing the scent of the hot chocolate Kanna had intended for the children. "Still make the best cup of hot chocolate in the world, Gran-Gran." He sipped loudly. "And I can say that for real, considering the fact that I _have_ been around the world."

Kanna beamed at her grandson and simultaneously earned a look from Pakku and Hakoda. Hakoda raised an eyebrow, commenting, "You still spoil him, Mother."

"Let a grandmother spoil her grandchildren and great-grandchildren."

"Oh yeah, care to explain why my children are still wide awake?" Sokka asked from behind the mug.

Pakku cleared his throat. "I actually put Sena down to bed hours ago."

Ignoring him, Kanna waved a hand at Sokka. "Oh they refused to go to bed until I finished telling them a story."

"What story could possibly keep them interested? Those folk tales you told Katara and me when we were little put us to sleep pretty quickly."

"I told them how Katara helped save the world."

Sokka and Hakoda stared at her while Pakku slowly shook his head.

"Hey, I was part of that too, you know," Sokka complained.

"I know, dear. Don't worry; you're in it, too."

"It's a pretty lengthy story. What part have you gotten to?"

"Whale Tail Island."

Sokka let out a low whistle. "You've got a lot to go through Gran-Gran. How long do you plan on keeping my kids?"

"For as long as it takes," she replied cheekily. "Why else do you think I chose that story? You and Suki never visit enough."

Ignoring her cheek, Sokka held a hand to his chin, a thoughtful expression trickling onto his countenance. "Whale Tail Island? Huh… isn't that when—"

"Shh. Don't ruin it for the children."

"They can't hear, Gran-Gran," Sokka deadpanned.

"If they're anything at all like you, Sokka, they'll figure out a way," she pointed out, Pakku and Hakoda sharing a look of agreement.

* * *

Zuko nodded at the middle aged man, who smiled at him gratefully. Then he quickly pocketed his purchase before continuing on his way to the infirmary. He cautiously entered the ward, not sure of what to expect. His shoulders dropped as he relaxed at the empty infirmary, although he frowned at the sight of Katara still asleep on the bed. Glancing out of the window, his frown deepened at the darkening sky.

'_It's past sundown. Pukiq had said that she'd be alright by now…_'

"There's no need to worry. Katara's simply tired. She told me to inform you that you could wake her up when you came back so that you could be on your way to the Southern Water Tribe again."

Zuko looked back and saw Pukiq hovering at the threshold.

"You're still here?"

"I was on my way back home but wanted to check on her one last time, since it's probably the last time I'll see her. You're leaving tonight, aren't you?"

He deflected her question. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine. Full recovery. She just needs some rest. Since I'm here, shall I be the one to wake her?"

"No, leave her. I'll wait until she wakes up on her own."

"It may not be until tomorrow morning," Pukiq cautioned.

"Good." Zuko pursed his lips before giving her a tight smile. "Then she'll get a chance to thank you personally before we leave. I know she'd like that much better than if I woke her up and forced her onto the ship."

"You wouldn't do that," Pukiq teased.

His lips curving into a small smirk, Zuko replied, "You'd be surprised how gifted Katara can be when it comes to irritating me."

"In any case, I appreciate it. Would it be alright if I gave her a small care package tomorrow? I know I don't know her that well, but the few times I've caught her awake… I'd like to give her a few things."

"That's fine."

"Very well. I'll see you tomorrow morning then."

"Hey! Aren't you going to check up on her?"

Pukiq smiled gently at him. "No. I was just worried because she was alone. But I can tell she'll be in good hands for the rest of the night. Good night, Prince Zuko."

Zuko watched her exit the ward before he occupied the cot next to Katara's once more. His golden eyes carefully inspected her sleeping form, searching and scrutinizing for even the slightest hint of discomfort in her body language. He sighed and leaned back onto the cot, feeling thoroughly exhausted.

'_I've never been so invested in another person. It's draining. I don't think I've ever cared so much about another person's well being… or another person in general.'_

A crease appeared between his brow as he frowned, his eyes aching. He yawned, unable to stop the noise that came out as he stretched. He lazily glanced back at Katara to make sure he didn't wake her before digging through his pack again.

'_Speaking of caring about another person… I should really make sure that things are clear between Mai and me.'_

He began writing on a clean piece of paper, only able to write her name before pausing. He made a face in self-loathing.

'_How am I supposed to tell her that we're not together any more over a letter? But I have no other way to get word out to her…'_

Rustling caused Zuko to lift his head and he raised his right eyebrow as Katara sleepily sat up, scrunching her eyes shut before she opened it, her gaze slightly glassy as she tried to focus her vision. Making a face that he found quite amusing and endearing at the same time, Katara looked at him through squinted eyes.

"Zuko?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Spirits, what's with the groaning and sighing?"

Zuko flushed, while at the same time, noticing her use of the Water Tribe colloquialism. "Sorry, I'll try to be quieter. Go back to sleep."

"You mean you were going to stay with me?"

"I've been by your side for the past three nights."

The irritation left Katara's face and was replaced by a softness that caused Zuko's blush to worsen, the heat spreading from his face down to his neck. "You've stayed with me for three nights?" she asked softly, her voice telling him that she was clearly touched by the gesture.

'_I thought that I had dreamt that,'_ Katara thought.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay." Zuko tried to muster as much bravado and nonchalance into the statement as he could, but the way Katara continued to look at him with those blue eyes of hers made him feel flustered and embarrassingly giddy at the same time. When she beamed at him in gratitude, he was sure that even his chest was blushing.

"Well I suppose you're going to want to get going then." Katara moved to pull the blankets away and stared up at Zuko, frozen when he stopped her.

"No, it's fine. I can wait until tomorrow."

"_You_ can _wait?_" Katara asked. She scoffed and pushed him back, getting onto her feet unsteadily. Zuko grabbed her waist to keep her upright.

"I promised Pukiq… she wanted to see you tomorrow morning and give you a few things."

Katara arched an eyebrow at him and one of her hands found its way to her cocked hip. "_You_ promised _Pukiq_ something?" she asked, both amused and in disbelief.

"Quit saying it like that," Zuko growled, his face contorted into an annoyed scowl. "You make sound as if it's impossible or something."

"It usually is," she laughed lightly.

"Not when it comes to you," he pointed out.

"I'm not the usual person, Zuko," she pointed out matter of factly.

Blinking at her, Zuko murmured, "You're not."

Both of them found it difficult to break eye contact and Katara's grin slowly faded as she stared at Zuko. The two didn't realize how close they stood together or that Zuko's warm hands were still secured around Katara's waist, his touch feeling as if he were searing her skin, though Katara knew it had nothing to do with his Firebending nor did she find the feeling unpleasant. Unconsciously, she leaned towards him and Zuko nearly found himself drawing closer to her but then dropped his hands and cleared his throat.

Katara blinked as though taken out of a stupor, staring at him bemusedly.

"You should probably get back to sleep. Pukiq said that you still need rest."

Katara was about to argue when she saw the blank piece of paper on his cot, save for Mai's name elegantly written in neat calligraphy. Frowning, she immediately returned to her bed, pulling the covers up to her chin and facing away from him.

"You're right. We'll have an early day tomorrow, right? Good night, Prince Zuko."

Zuko's face fell at her clipped tone and use of formality but didn't want to press further since he didn't want to upset her more.

'_Even though I don't know why she's upset… is it because we were about to… or is it because I pulled away?_'

He rubbed his right eye and sat back onto his cot, staring at the barely started letter.

'_I need to get this over with first. I'll have to figure out what's bothering Katara tomorrow._'

* * *

**Acknowledgements:**

**BlueWinterMoon:** Congrats on being the 100th reviewer! ^_^ Thank you so much for your sweet words. I am more than ecstatic with the recognition that this story already receives and I'm so flattered that you would take the time to review!

**Pinkypinkypinky:** Yeah, cat's out of the bag for Katara. Whoops…

**lissyferret7:** Well I can't promise anything… now that doesn't necessarily mean that I _will_ make her leave him at any point in the story, but that also doesn't mean that I _won't_. I just haven't gotten around to planning that yet lol. Also, you have to consider Katara's character— if she knew that separating from Zuko _for any reason_ would benefit the fate in the world (since nearly every decision Team Avatar makes would somehow influence the fate of the world), then I think she would be selfless enough to separate… but only for what is in the scheme of a lifetime a very short while, I think she would.

Sorry, I feel like this was a bit of a slow chapter, womp. Just building up for the next few chapters. Lol and I apologize for any annoying editing mistakes since the majority of the chapter was written and proofread at ungodly hours in the middle of the night. If there's any part that's particularly, glaringly miswritten, please let me know so I can edit it! Thanks! Please read, review, and wonder!


	13. The Declaration

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs purely to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Chapter 12: The Declaration

* * *

**Summary: **As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty, life, and love, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

_Last Time…_

"_I'm not the usual person, Zuko," she pointed out matter of factly._

_Blinking at her, Zuko murmured, "You're not."_

_Both of them found it difficult to break eye contact and Katara's grin slowly faded as she stared at Zuko. The two didn't realize how close they stood together or that Zuko's warm hands were still secured around Katara's waist, his touch feeling as if he were searing her skin, though Katara knew it had nothing to do with his Firebending nor did she find the feeling unpleasant. Unconsciously, she leaned towards him and Zuko nearly found himself drawing closer to her but then dropped his hands and cleared his throat._

_Katara blinked as though taken out of a stupor, staring at him bemusedly._

"_You should probably get back to sleep. Pukiq said that you still need rest."_

_Katara was about to argue when she saw the blank piece of paper on his cot, save for Mai's name elegantly written in neat calligraphy. Frowning, she immediately returned to her bed, pulling the covers up to her chin and facing away from him._

"_You're right. We'll have an early day tomorrow, right? Good night, Prince Zuko."_

_Zuko's face fell at her clipped tone and use of formality but didn't want to press further since he didn't want to upset her more._

'Even though I don't know why she's upset… is it because we were about to… or is it because I pulled away?'

_He rubbed his right eye and sat back onto his cot, staring at the barely started letter._

'I need to get this over with first. I'll have to figure out what's bothering Katara tomorrow.'

* * *

Katara's lips fell into a pout as she rested her chin on her crossed forearms, leaning on the metal railing that surrounded the deck of the ship. She blew air out of her mouth, the effort passing through her lips noisily, as she grew agitated again when her thoughts drifted to the young man she was watching give orders to the crew as they prepared to set sail. He glanced at her and Katara immediately looked away, feeling both embarrassed yet righteously angry. She snuck another look and saw his upset on his face.

Her face fell once more. _'But do I actually have a real reason to be upset?_' Katara lowered her forehead onto her arms, groaning.

'_Of course not. You're so dumb, Katara. We've been gone for months, Zuko's going to write his girlfriend. _Of course._ What did you expect?_' As she raised her head and stared over the edge, the sound of a messenger hawk's screech captured her attention. She squinted against the sunlight as she watched it fly.

'_Now is that the letter I gave to Pukiq to send to my family or is that the letter Zuko sent to Mai?_' Katara pouted once more and she forced herself to think of other things. '_Pukiq told me this morning that it's not far from here to the South Pole. I told Sokka three days. Three days until we reach the Southern Water Tribe. Three days until my exposure… it'll be obvious then, won't it? Three days until I leave behind the Fire Nation and its tortured prince.'_ Her frown deepened and a crease appeared as her brows knit together.

'_Other thoughts, Katara._' She sighed deeply. '_Three days until Gran-Gran and her cooking. Oh, I hope that she makes five flavor soup… it's my favorite. She only makes it on my birthday though…' _Katara was distracted enough by this last thought.

"Oh!" she gasped. "Today's date…" she noted the chill in the air and the warmer clothing of the crew and even the inhabitants of Whale Tail Island. "It's nearly midway through winter. I haven't noticed because of how long I've been in the Fire Nation… my birthday's past already," she murmured forlornly.

'_Well it doesn't matter anyway. What I'm doing is more important.' _She shifted her weight, wincing at the slight discomfort with her left ankle. Absentmindedly, she lifted a hand to her head, feeling for the bump that used to be there not even two days ago.

'_Pukiq did a great job. But then again, it was all Zuko, wasn't it? The huge wave that took me down… it should have swept me away as well. But Zuko must have grabbed me. And he took me to the infirmary, stayed by my side. He even snuck Fire Flakes onto my jook before I had to go and pass out.'_ A tender smile flashed onto Katara's face before it disappeared once more. '_And he got me help at Whale Tail Island. He thought I was worth delaying this mission or whatever his father's sent him on. He doesn't deserve to be lied to.'_

Katara bit down on her lip, continuing to stare into the deep blue depths of the sea as they finally set sail. "Do I tell him?" she murmured.

"You know, every time I see you near the railing now, I get pretty nervous."

Katara lifted her head and looked over her shoulder at Zuko. True to his word, he seemed quite tense. "I'll be fine," she assured him.

Her words did nothing to alleviate him and he edged towards her. "Even so… do you think you could help give me some peace of mind and get as far away as possible from the railing?" If Katara listened carefully, she would have been able to hear the tightness in his tone.

Katara rolled her eyes and joined Zuko as he sat at the table where Iroh usually liked to enjoy his tea. She took one of the empty teacups on the table and began to idly play with it.

"You seemed preoccupied," Zuko observed.

"Oh you know, just trying to relive my near death experience."

Zuko's eyes tightened. "That's not funny."

"You're right; it's not."

Scowling at her flippant attitude, Zuko asked acerbically, "Did I do something to make you upset? Because in case you couldn't recall, I'm the one who fucking saved your life!"

Barely batting an eyelash at his vulgarity, Katara raised an eyebrow at him, replying coolly, "Nope. Not a thing."

"You're a horrible liar," Zuko scoffed.

Katara fought the urge to scoff back. "You're so sure of that?" she challenged. '_You haven't seemed to notice all of the lies I've been telling you for the past seven months!_'

To her surprise, Zuko froze and stubbornly avoided her gaze. Katara deflated and leaned to the side to try and make eye contact with him. "Zuko?"

He abruptly stood up. "Forget it."

"I'm sorry!" she blurted out.

Slowly, Zuko sat back down. "Sorry? Sorry for what?"

"For being stupid and being out on deck during the storm. For getting hurt. For making you worry and delaying the trip and making you go back to Whale Tail Island—"

Zuko put his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to cut her off. "Breathe."

"— and I'm so sorry for being so ungrateful," she finished. Katara shook her head and stared down at her hands. "You've been so nice and I'm acting like a royal… a royal bitch."

Taken aback by her language, Zuko smirked and joked, "No, I think Azula's got that covered."

When Katara lifted her head to look back at him, Zuko's chest clenched at her glassy eyes, her tear bright eyes pulling at his heartstrings in a way that not even the cutest turtleduck could. He sighed and hesitated, blushing slightly before awkwardly pulling her in for a quick hug. Katara almost laughed at the stunted movement but decided to savor the sudden embrace, rewarding Zuko with a smile after he let her go. He cleared his throat and timidly returned the smile.

"So are you ever going to tell me what it is that Pukiq gave you this morning before we left?"

His tone was light and conversational, but Katara could pick up on the notes of childlike curiosity. She fought to hide her smile, chewing down on the inside of her cheek. Looking up at him through her lashes, she shook her head, a Cheshire grin on her face.

The pout that appeared on Zuko's face nearly made her laugh out loud, but knowing his temper and sensitivity towards any attention drawn to himself, Katara merely looked away from him. Her cerulean eyes widened and a shrill yelp escaped her lips as she felt a light touch to her side, joined quickly by dancing fingers and she couldn't help the giggle that bubbled out of her mouth before she jerked away from the offensive hand.

She stared at Zuko in disbelief, who tried his best to look as innocent as possible, though Katara found the expression on his face irresistible to smile at. His face was carefully composed, but his mouth was pressed together, as if he were fighting a smile, and his eyes were bright and alert.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"What was what?"

She rolled her eyes and once more felt long fingers quickly apply pressure to her sides, causing her to gasp in laughter. "Zuko!" she squealed. Amidst her laughter, Katara attempted to lean away from Zuko and crawl away when the ship lurched suddenly and she was thrown back into the prince, a deep oomph coming from him following the thud. She laughed to herself quietly and when she ventured a glance behind her, couldn't hold back more laughter as Zuko held a hand to his nose, his eyes crossed as he tried to look at it.

"This is all your fault," he accused, his voice muffled by his hand.

With another light laugh, Katara turned around and sat back on her heels, pulling his hand away. "Here, let me see. You'll be fine." She gasped when he grasped her tightly.

"Now tell me what she gave you," he threatened.

Tossing her head back with more laughter, the tips of her wavy, brown hair tickled Zuko's hands. He relished the feathery softness brushing against the back of his hands and found himself staring at Katara's exposed throat as she laughed.

"Honestly, you're like my brother when he's trying to steal my candy."

Zuko raised a dark eyebrow at this new piece of information. "Well I'm not going to take if from you. I just wanna know what it is."

'_A brother? Sounds like an older brother, too._'

"Well if you'd just let go of me, then I can go grab it in my cabin and bring it out here."

His grip on her tightened. "Or, now that you just told me where it is, I can go look for myself. Knowing you, you'd run and lock yourself in your room as soon as I let go."

She made a face and Zuko smirked at her. "It's nothing."

"Then why can't I know?"

Katara sighed and a pink flush dusted her tan skin. "It's just a gift."

"Well Pukiq told me that last night before she left to go home."

"It was… a birthday gift." Immediately, Katara felt guilt about lying to Zuko. '_But it's not like I could tell him it was a missive meant for me to deliver personally to my father containing combined intelligence from various healers throughout the world, right?_'

"When is your birthday?"

"The first day of the first month."

"That was nearly two weeks ago." Zuko's voice held a hint of an accusatory tone.

Katara shrugged. "It's not that important."

"Not important?"

"Zuko?"

It was his turn to shrug. "It's just that birthdays have always been important to me." He chuckled dryly. "Maybe it's because I survived another year without Azula trying to kill me in my sleep." A thoughtful expression lit his face. "My birthday…"

Katara wrinkled her nose at him. "Hey! We're supposed to be talking about _my_ birthday!" she teased.

"No, it's just that a lot has happened in the past six months since my last birthday."

Katara blinked as she absorbed his words. '_Six months? I've been away from home that long? Longer than that… I spent time in that brothel before I met Zuko on his birthday._'

"Your birthday," she began, "It's on the first day of the seventh month."

Zuko nodded. "Right near the beginning of summer. It's not uncommon for Firebenders to be born around that time. It's usually the case." He stared at her for a moment,. '_Just as is the case for Waterbenders in winter, I'm assuming._'

"Oh." '_That's how it is for Waterbenders, too._'

"So now you're… sixteen?"

Katara nodded stiffly, unsure of where he was going with this.

"In the Fire Nation, you would have already had your ceremony."

"My ceremony?"

Zuko shrugged. "A coming of age ritual, I guess. Your hair would be combed out four times, pulled up into an elaborate bun and held in place with a beautiful headpiece or comb, usually passed down from mother to daughter for generations. Then you'd be presented in front of your elders and re-welcomed into the family as a woman."

Katara smiled at him. "That sounds beautiful."

"It's the same process for males. But not at fifteen— at eighteen."

Katara ventured out a hand to gently tug at a shaggy lock of his dark hair. "You'd wear a beautiful hair comb?"

He rolled his eyes at her. "No, my hair would be combed out and then fastened with a royal headpiece." Zuko's face fell and his lips flattened into a bitter line. "It's the traditional headpiece to signify the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne."

"Zuko—"

"And then basically, the new man or woman would be considered eligible for matchmaking and marriage," he finished shortly. Clearing his throat, Zuko let go of her and stood up before stalking off.

Katara blinked at the sudden change in mood and followed him. "Zuko? Zuko, please, talk to me?"

"There's nothing to talk about, Katara."

"You're obviously bothered by something."

"Ever think that maybe it's you?" he retorted.

Katara recoiled, but only to press even further into Zuko's space, pushing a finger into his chest. "If you have a problem with me, then tell me what it is and we can just spend the rest of the miserable, pointless journey tolerating each other without me 'bothering' you! You know what? Don't bother!" She made a sound of disgust. "Jerk!"

Before Zuko could respond, she promptly turned on her heel and stomped away. He stared after her incredulously, lunging forward to grasp at her wrist but she pulled it against her chest and hurried her pace, forcing Zuko to come after her.

"Hey!" His face contorted angrily. "_Hey_!" he bellowed.

The crew froze, all conversations halting immediately, the roar of the ocean waves around them becoming thunderous in the tense silence that fell upon the ship. Katara continued her defiance, marching forward, heading for the hatch that opened to the cabins below deck. Zuko breathed forcefully through his nose, small puffs of steam following the breath. He surveyed all of the crewmembers on deck.

"What do you think you're looking at? Get to work!"

The sound of chatter and bustling grew to a low buzz and Zuko frowned before he went down the hatch and through the hallways to where he knew her cabin was. He lingered at her door, staring at the unassuming metal frame as though it had personally insulted him. Zuko raised and lowered his hand several times to knock on the door. He could clearly hear movement from inside as well as see the movement in the shadow that filtered out from underneath the door.

"Katara, I'm sorry." He rubbed the back of his neck in distress before signing and continuing. "I shouldn't have taken out my anger on you when you were just trying to help. You… you don't bother me." He chuckled. "Much."

Zuko's smile slowly disappeared at the lack of response and he sighed, dejectedly turning away from the door and in the direction of his cabin. Behind the door, Katara sat cross-legged on her bed, her hands fidgeting with the golden armbands on her upper arms, frowning at the fading sound of footsteps. She stopped playing with the jewelry and hugged herself.

On his way to his cabin, Zuko approached a member of his crew. "How long until we reach the Southern Water Tribe?" he asked.

"If the weather remains favorable and we maintain our current speed, we should reach our destination in roughly three days, Prince Zuko."

Zuko nodded at him and walked away, his mind churning with thoughts.

'_Three days. That's how long I have to figure out something for Katara's birthday and as an apology._'

* * *

Katara woke up late the next day— around mid-afternoon. Pukiq had warned her that her injuries and accelerated healing took a toll on her body and may have her feeling tired for the next thirty-six hours or so. Katara opened her door, her eyes crossing as they focused on the small parcel dangling in front of her from the top of the doorframe. She reached up to pull it down, snapping the thin twine that hung it up in the process. It was a small bundle that could easily fit in a child's palm. The fabric was a rich, deep red, sown with shining gold thread. It was soft, some of the softest silk she had come across. Even softer than the pelts she often saw in the Southern and Northern Water Tribes.

She undid the knot at the top and the square fabric fell flat against her palm, revealing the two earrings that reflected the soft candlelight in her room. Katara lifted one by the hook, admiring the modest, deep blue stone dangling from it. She scoffed in disbelief at the beautiful jewelry before tying up the fabric again and heading towards the deck.

As she thought, the young prince was already awake— and most likely had been for a while— since he was so intensely attuned to the sun's path over the world, doing his daily exercises near the bow of the ship. Katara couldn't make him out clearly as he was in front of the sun and only his silhouette was discernible. She watched him move almost like a cat deer; his movements were graceful and fluid with the underlying threat of physical power that made him both dangerous and beguiling.

In the middle of performing a Firebending form, Zuko stopped and turned away from the sun, the nagging feeling that there were eyes on him having disrupted his concentration. As Katara held a hand above her eyes to block some of the light, she couldn't help but admire the lines of his bare torso, the rippling of the muscles as he moved. She looked up and locked eyes with him.

Unconsciously licking her lip to wet her suddenly dry mouth, Katara held up the silken bundle in her other hand. "I think you lost something," she called.

Zuko walked towards her, an indiscernible expression on his face. He walked slowly, but purposefully, as if he wanted her to know that he was coming closer without scaring her off. She furrowed her brow as she processed this inference.

'_Why does he think I'll run away?_'

"I didn't lose anything."

"I'm pretty sure you did," Katara insisted.

"It's a gift, Katara. It's rude to refuse a gift."

Katara's mood soured at the condescending touch of his tone. "_You're_ lecturing _me_ on etiquette?"

He snorted in a decidedly ungentlemanly way, rolling his eyes and proving her point. "For your information, I had specific classes on manners at the royal academy."

"Not your best class, I suppose," she quipped.

"Perfect marks," he grinned.

Katara thrust the bundle towards him. "I can't accept these."

"Why not?" Zuko's grin fell away to confusion.

"I just can't. They're… they're too nice."

He raised his eyebrows at her in disbelief. "They're… too nice?" he repeated, stunned. Zuko fought the urge to laugh incredulously. "Katara, I bought them for you."

"You bought them for me?"

"On Whale Tail Island," he admitted sheepishly. "You were in the infirmary and Pukiq said you wouldn't be conscious again until at least sunset. I got restless and wandered in the market. I saw these and thought of you."

"Oh," she breathed.

"I didn't know when to give them to you but then after yesterday, when I found out I missed your birthday and then I was acting like a royal boar-q-pine… I just wanted to apologize."

Zuko held the hand holding the bundle in one hand and used the other to close her fingers around it. "It's yours. Please keep it."

Katara made a show of displeasure but nodded. She smiled timidly at him. "About that, I wanted to apologize, too. I've been told that I have the tendency to not mind my own business. And I know how you don't really like to talk about things sometimes. I should've respected your privacy."

"Where are _my_ earrings?" he joked.

Rolling her eyes at him, Katara handed him her gifted earrings, holding up a hand to keep him quiet before removing the simple blue beads she was wearing and replacing them with the new earrings, the beads now occupying the silk. She shrugged cheekily.

"I didn't get a chance to go shopping."

Zuko stared as she tilted her head at him, her full lips forming a half-smile. The dangling stones glittered in the late afternoon sun and Zuko's eyes traveled to Katara's.

"They'll do." He poured the beads into his open palm and into a pocket in his training pants. He handed her the cloth. "But keep this."

Knowing by now not to argue, Katara took it and attempted to tie it around her wrist one handedly. Zuko reached down and took it from her hands, doing it himself. Katara found herself holding her breath as his fingertips brushed against the sensitive skin of her inner wrist while we wrapped the soft fabric around it and tied a neat knot.

"Are you done showering me with gifts?"

"This was just for yesterday. I haven't even given you your birthday present yet."

"Why are you going through so much effort that isn't necessary? I've forgiven you and my birthday was weeks ago." She laughed. "Zuko, you just saved my life the other day. If anything, _I_ should be showering _you_ with gifts. All I've given you is a pair of old beaded jewelry."

His brow furrowing, Zuko murmured, "My uncle says that I have the tendency to be stubborn about things. I guess that's one reason. I suppose another reason is that I'm used to going above and beyond to prove myself."

"You don't need to—"

"But I do—"

"Not for me."

Katara knew that he still wasn't convinced and pursed her lips. Before she had a chance to press the issue, Zuko excused himself.

"I have to do something. But do me a favor and meet me on deck in about an hour?"

Suspicious about his vagueness, Katara insisted, "Zuko, I told you I don't need anything else."

"And I heard you. I'm still not going to listen to you."

He managed to avoid any further argument from her by engaging in conversation with one of his men and the two disappeared below deck. Katara rolled her eyes and sat at the fixed pai sho table, absentmindedly playing with her new earrings, unfamiliar with the weight of the stones and the way they would tap against her if she moved her head suddenly. Someone sat at the table with her and Katara left her thoughts to see who had joined her.

Iroh smiled kindly at her.

"I am glad to see that you are feeling much better, Miss Katara."

Returning the gesture, Katara smiled back. "Thanks, General Iroh. I still can't believe how dumb I was to be out during the storm."

He nodded sagely. "Curiosity is not a crime. But to give into it without holding onto common sense is, indeed, a fool's crime."

Blushing slightly, Katara added, "I also can't believe Zuko turned the ship around."

"My nephew is not so heartless," he joked. "Though he has threatened me on numerous occasions throughout this journey to leave me behind for dawdling in a teashop or two." He narrowed his eyes knowingly at Katara. "I doubt he would even do the same to you."

"I don't know. I _have_ made him angry a few times."

Iroh laughed jovially. "It is not very difficult to do so. Now, do you think you can humor an old man with a game of pai sho?"

Katara nodded though she admitted, "I'm not very good at it. My grandfather usually beats me within ten minutes."

"Pai sho is not a game of speed. It's a game of thinking! Here, let me teach you how to beat me."

Katara laughed and helped Iroh in setting up the tiles on the board. She knew better than to refuse when he handed her a cup of tea. She brought it to her nose, inhaling the steam, pleasantly surprised by the fragrance. She eagerly sipped at the tea, wincing slightly as her eagerness caused a burnt tongue. Nevertheless, the warm liquid left a sweet taste and she signed contently.

"Lychee nut tea. I picked some up while we were at Whale Tail Island."

"Ah that explains why I like it so much. I love lychee nuts."

"Perhaps I shall make you my permanent tea taste tester."

Katara laughed. "As long as you don't make any kind of papaya tea. I hate papayas."

"Very well. Now, let's start the game!"

An hour later, Zuko emerged from the hatch, his arms full with a large pack. The sun had set and several torchlights lit the deck with their soft flames. He looked around and, as per his orders, no one who didn't need to be on deck was on deck. He had given them the rest of the night off. He heard laughter and walked around to the bow of the boat, surprised to see his uncle and Katara laughing over a game of pai sho. Iroh looked up and saw him first.

"Prince Zuko! You've come just in time to witness Miss Katara's upcoming win."

Katara looked up over her shoulder at Zuko, a bashful smile lighting up her face. "General Iroh let me win."

"Nonsense, you're a very bright young woman. You would have figured it out eventually." Finally Iroh noticed Zuko's full arms. He made a show of glancing up at the sky and exclaiming, "Oh my! It's already nightfall? My apologies, Miss Katara, but I believe it's past an old man's bedtime."

Grinning at his over exaggerated actions and speech, Katara nodded. "Of course. Good night, General Iroh."

"And you." He passed Zuko, whispering, "She loves the tea. Make sure to serve her some."

Zuko blushed and turned to glare at his uncle's back before he sat down at the table, surprising Katara by sitting rather close to her than opposite her. He swept the titles over to one side of the table and undid the bundle.

"Zuko?"

"I know that you're sixteen and that this is meant for fifteen year olds, but I decided to give you your ceremony. It's the one meant for Fire Nation girls, but I don't know how else—"

"No, it's fine. I appreciate the thought."

Glancing up at her from the corner of his eye, Zuko caught her pleased grin and continued to lay out the few tools. He also had a platter and uncovered it in front of Katara.

"This isn't part of the ceremony, but I know you haven't eaten yet."

Accepting the chopsticks he held out to her, Katara eagerly ate some of the rice surrounding the smoked sea slug. She tensed as she felt something tugging through her thick waves before she remembered what Zuko said.

"What is this ceremony called?"

"For boys, _guan-li_. For girls, _ji-li_."

Katara sighed in contentment at the rhythmic feeling of the comb through her hair. "I'm sorry about how long my hair is. And crazy."

"Long hair signifies beauty and health," he recited, as if it were taught to him his entire life. "And what do you mean crazy?"

Her cheeks pinked and Katara explained, "All of the girls have such straight, sleek hair. Mine is so thick and wavy."

"I like it," Zuko shrugged.

Katara's blush deepened, the warmth spreading down to her stomach. She closed her eyes to savor the feeling of the combing, relaxing completely.

"If you didn't celebrate these rituals, then what did you celebrate?"

"At fourteen, boys in my village would go ice dodging. A boy and his father would commandeer a small boat through a path in the water with dangerous ice croppings and glaciers. Girls were usually married off by puberty."

"Usually?"

"Hmm…"

Zuko paused and fought his smile as he looked around to peer at Katara, noticing her closed eyes and peaceful expression. "Katara?"

"Hm? Oh, uh, sometimes if the girl had exceptional gifts, she could apprentice a healer. It wasn't until recently that girls were allowed to learn how to use bending to fight. But she'd still be expected to be married off soon." She sighed again.

"It's the same in the Fire Nation. Once girls underwent _ji-li_, they were considered eligible for marriage."

Zuko carefully coiled her hair into a knot and reached for the hairpiece on the table to pin the knot into place. He stared at the comb, made of jade with gold filigree, carved into the shape of a lily with tassels of red stones dangling from it. Katara tentatively reached behind her, feeling the comb.

"This is beautiful," she gasped.

Zuko nodded and gulped. "It was my mother's. She left a lot of stuff behind."

Katara immediately tried to pull out the comb but Zuko stopped her. "Zuko, I can't. This is your mother's!"

"They're generally handed down from mother to daughter and Azula wants nothing of my mother's. She almost had all of her belongings burned."

"Save it for your daughter," she insisted.

"There's no guarantee I'll have a daughter."

"There's a fifty percent chance!" she argued.

"Keep it and I'll let you know if I ever have a daughter. But seeing as how it means she'd be eligible for marriage, I hope you don't return it."

Katara shook her head, knowing that he wouldn't take it back. She beamed at the feeling of the delicate comb in her hair and the feeling of Zuko's fingers in her hair. She frowned at the feeling that she had forgotten something but shrugged it off.

"Fine, but I'm going to give it to your daughter," she joked. "Poor girl having a strict, unyielding man like you for a father."

"I'll most likely spoil her."

"A true princess, then."

Zuko laughed wryly. "If I'm still royalty by the time I have children. Who knows? I might not be."

Katara scrutinized him, her wide, blue eyes narrowing as though she were inspecting him. Then she broke out into a grin. "No, you'll be a wonderful father, Zuko."

Not willing to believe her, he hedged, "I don't exactly have the best role model, do I?"

Reaching up to gently touch his scar, Katara shook her head. "Not him. But your uncle, on the other hand, I can tell that he loves you very much. As much as he loved his own son."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You'd be surprised at how conversation flows over a game of pai sho and a cup of tea."

Zuko reached over for the kettle and refilled her cup, handing it to her. Katara grinned at him appreciatively, mumbling her thanks before lifting the cup to her lips. Watching her, Zuko was tempted to try his own cup. As if she read his mind, Katara handed him her now empty cup and nodded at him. He only filled it halfway before drinking it and placing the empty cup on the table. Katara looked up at him expectantly.

He wrinkled his nose and shrugged. "It's okay, a little too sweet for my taste."

Katara chuckled. "You probably like ginger tea, don't you?"

"Papaya leaf tea," he joked.

"How did you know about that?" she asked while scrunching up her face in disgust.

"Superhuman hearing," he half-joked.

Still giggling, Katara couldn't help but grin back at the smirk on Zuko's face. His eyes were still exceptionally bright, the gold shining even in the dim lighting and the flames from the torches cast shadows over his face. Her laughter slowly died and she found herself locked in his gaze. Entranced, she leaned forward and her eyes must have been deceiving her, because it felt as though Zuko were leaning towards her, too. She could feel his warm breath on her face.

Her breath caught in her throat and Katara nervously stepped away, turning her head to clear her throat. She turned back and asked nervously, "Z-Zuko, what are you doing? This isn't…"

He was still frozen and Zuko's ivory cheeks turned pink, but he didn't shy away. "This isn't what, Katara?" he whispered.

He spoke in a lower timbre than usual and his voice had taken on an even huskier quality than usual, which Katara didn't think could be possible. And for some reason Katara couldn't fathom, it made her cheeks warm up and felt as if her stomach were doing flips. She felt as though she were on the edge of something that exhilarated and scared her, like standing on the edge of a cliff, facing crashing waves down below.

Zuko approached her and slowly pushed back an errant strand of chocolate brown hair, tucking it behind her ear. The feeling of his fingertips brushing against her ear was like a current of electricity running through her body and Katara took in a shaky breath.

As Zuko leaned down towards her again, Katara surprised herself by raising herself on her tiptoes, her palms finding their way onto his broad chest as the hand hovering by her ear lowered, securing itself around the dip of her waist. His other hand carefully caressed the nape of her neck. Her eyes closed just as their lips touched and Katara refused the urge to open her eyes in shock. It was a light feathery touch and Zuko pulled away first.

The chaste kiss was still enough for Katara to feel thoroughly breathless and her insides felt as though they were bubbling. She opened her eyes and blue met gold once more.

Zuko had to reign in the urge to pull her in for another kiss. His fingers flexed restlessly against her waist. He didn't expect that kind of reaction when he kissed her. He certainly hadn't felt that when he was with Mai. Yes, they felt urges and gave in, but they had never experienced something like that in something like a chaste kiss.

When he locked eyes with her, he felt it again, as if ice water was running through his veins and his skin was on fire. Heightened senses. Feeling like he was overwhelmed by something and he needed an outlet. And the girl in his arms was the only possible one. Katara's hands tightened on his chest, holding onto his shirt in fists before she leaned up again. He met her halfway, relishing the feeling of his lips touching hers again. Zuko tightened his hold on her, pulling her closer as he kissed her harder than before, recognizing that Katara was returning the kiss.

Their lips moved together, exploring leisurely. They could taste the remnants of the sweet lychee tea on each other's lips.

As Katara disappeared into lovely world the kiss and Zuko's hold created, her mind became blissfully clear of any worries. Her hands slipped from his chest and mirrored his, one around his torso and the other reaching around his neck.

Just as she were about to disappear completely into the kiss, Katara remembered the last time they were this close. The last night in the infirmary on Whale Tail Island. She struggled to remember what it was that made her step away from him. Her mind flashed with the image of an unfinished letter.

With a gasp, Katara pulled away and stepped back from him, her fingertips pressing against her swollen lips in disbelief. Zuko looked at her with concern and moved to follow her. She shook her head and took off.

"Katara!" Zuko groaned, resisting the urge to smack himself in the face. Just what was it about him that made Katara run away? '_That's two nights in a row,' _he bemoaned.

* * *

Sika sighed dreamily, earning a disgusted glare from her little brother and an exasperated groan from her father. She turned to the two males in her family and shushed them.

Sokka scowled at his oldest child. "Hey, don't shush me, young lady! I did _not_ need to hear about my little sister's make out sessions."

Sato wrinkled his nose. "Yuck! Sisters shouldn't be allowed to do something so _gross_." He stuck his tongue out at Sika and lunged towards her when she shoved him. Sokka held back his young son, pulling him up into his lap.

Kanna chuckled, the warmth of the sound affecting her family immediately. "Oh, but Sato, don't you want your aunt to be happy and in love?"

"I think that she can be happy and in love without kissing! Mom and Dad are!"

Sokka's head snapped toward Suki, who buried her face in her hands, hiding the bright red blush. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Sato, your mother and I kiss. We just like to uh.. do it when no one's watching."

Pakku casually sipped his tea. "I would hope so."

Sokka froze while Suki groaned and her arms fell from her face, her forehead hitting the surface of the table. Hakoda blinked, his food mere inches from his mouth. He gave his son a roguish grin and clapped him on the back heartily before returning his attention to his food. Suki quickly rose from the table to disappear further into the house.

"I think Sena needs me."

Sika tilted her head curiously. "But I don't hear her crying, Mom."

"Then maybe it's me who needs her," Suki grumbled.

Kanna smiled genially, her eyes crinkling. "Oh stop torturing them, Pakku. Otherwise, how would you have three beautiful grandchildren to dote on?"

He dismissed her with a wave of his hand. "Yes, dear."

Hakoda snickered, earning a glare from his stepfather. He shrugged and continued to eat. "Where are all the men in this family? They seem to be whipped by their women, am I right, Sato? We're the last men standing in this family."

"What about Uncle—"

"Like your Aunt Katara doesn't have him wrapped around her pretty little finger."

At this, Sokka had to roll his eyes and nod with his son.

"But Grandpa, how come you don't you want to kiss someone?"

Hakoda raised his eyebrows at his granddaughter and her wide, curious teal eyes. His jaw hung open as he thought over how to respond.

"Yes, Hakoda, please grace us with the sight of your uvula."

Sato tugged on his father's sleeve urgently. "Dad, what's a 'you… you've-yelah'?"

"It's the throatal flap."

The other three adults raised their eyebrows at him and Sokka merely shrugged. Sato reached up and pried open his jaw, inspecting the back of Sokka's throat with narrowed eyes.

Suki groaned as she returned. "You and your father are one and the same, I swear."

The two grinned back at her cheekily and she laughed behind her hand, ruffling Sato's hair and kissing Sokka's cheek.

Sika sighed loudly, capturing everyone's attention. "Can we _please_ get back to the story? Please Gran-Gran?"

"I don't know, child. I think your grandfathers and I may be overstaying our visit. Perhaps tomorrow when you finish your classes."

The young siblings pouted. Sokka gently set Sato down and pushed him towards the older adults. "Come on, you two. Say good night and then get to bed."

Kanna and Suki walked the two out of the living room and further into the house to tuck them into bed together. Though they tried to hide it, the two yawned widely behind their hands and Sato pressed himself closer to his mother's leg.

"How are they adjusting?" Hakoda asked.

"They're doing well in school. I'm sure they miss their friends back on Kyoshi Island, but we know it's not more than a few days' trip to go back and visit. Suki and I have taken them with us when we've had to go back and check on everything there."

"I'm glad you two have decided to move down here."

"I just hope that new herd of flying sky bisons Aang found will find their way down here soon. He's still training them."

"You want a flying sky bison?"

"It'd make travel a lot easier, wouldn't it?"

"When do you think you and Suki will settle down? The war's over, Sokka."

Sokka shook his head. "We'll slow down if we feel like the kids need us to. But they understand that what we're doing is important. I just want them to be proud of us."

"Ah kids never appreciate you," Pakku interjected. He coughed roughly. "But you can be sure that the rest of us are damn proud."

Sokka grinned. "Aw, Gran-Pakku."

Pakku's face fell. "And you wonder why Katara is my favorite."

"I haven't seen her in months. Not since she and the others dropped by Kyoshi Island when we sent the kids ahead."

"She's close to the heart of the Harmony Restoration Movement, helping Aang and Zuko mend bridges. Sometimes those situations require a woman's touch and Toph isn't exactly the gentle type."

"Toph might be leaving them soon. She's talking about opening up her own school for earthbending. Metalbending specifically…"

"I doubt she'll be able to find a student to live up to her standards."

"She'll get 'em up to speed, I'm sure."

Nodding solemnly, Pakku said, "It's a noble position, being a teacher."

Hakoda and Sokka shared a look. As Pakku was about to rebuke them, a knock on the door interrupted. Sokka leisurely made his way to the door, opening it to reveal a young man.

"Can I help you?"

"I work in the mail delivery building. This is an urgent message for you, sir."

Sokka took the scroll and nodded at him sternly, signaling his dismissal. Sokka unfurled the parchment, his eyes scanning the lines of Katara's neat calligraphy as he returned to the table, where Kanna and Pakku were dressing for the cold.

Suki noticed the scroll and peered over his shoulder. "Sokka? What's this?"

Sokka's jaw first dropped in a show of disbelief before splitting into a smile that showcased all of his teeth. "It's from Katara. She'll be visiting soon with some big news."

"What news?"

"She's pregnant!"

* * *

"I gave explicit orders that I was not to be disturbed today!" Zuko snarled. Another knock on the door prompted him to leap out of bed and march towards it. He had spent the day brooding in bed, glaring at the ceiling. There was only one person willing to approach him currently and he was not in the mood to entertain his uncle's requests for pai sho or to participate in his weekly music night with the other men onboard.

"Uncle!" he scolded, throwing open the door. Zuko's voice died and he stared at Katara in disbelief.

She stared back, her expression a mixture of shock, annoyance, and a trace of humor. Katara sighed, shifting her weight and placing a hand on her hip. "No, not exactly. But General Iroh did tell me to inform you that he dearly misses the sound of your tsungi horn. His words; not mine."

Zuko flushed at the mention of the tsungi horn. "What are you doing here?"

Katara arched a dark eyebrow at him. "Would you like me to leave?"

"No! I just didn't expect you to want to be anywhere near me," he admitted. He nearly cringed at the rising awkwardness between them.

"Why?"

"Well the last time you walked away from me, you spent the majority of that night and the next day in your room."

"First of all, I was angry. And secondly, I slept most of the day yesterday. Pukiq said I might be feeling a little tired."

"So… you're telling me that you're not angry."

"Not at you, no. I was waiting for you to be knocking on my door. But after hearing from some of the crewmembers that you've locked yourself in your room, I thought that maybe it was my turn to knock on your door."

"You're not angry at me?"

"Didn't you hear what I just said? I thought you had superhuman hearing," she sassed back, tilting her head and revealing that she still wore the earrings he gave her.

"Answer the question."

"Quit ordering me around."

The two glared at each other before Katara relented, shifting her weight back and bringing an arm across her chest to grasp her other elbow. She shook her head.

"No, I'm not angry at you," she whispered. "Can I come in?" She gestured to his room behind him.

Zuko numbly let her pass, in disbelief. Peeking his head out of his door to check that the hallway was clear, he closed the door. Katara stood awkwardly in the centre of the room, unsure. Zuko gestured to one of the seats around his small table that he used for eating and writing correspondence. Katara sat down and looked up at him expectantly.

"So what is it that's gotten you so upset?" he asked while sitting across from her. "If it isn't me…" He struggled to express his anxiety and worry about the night before. "I don't know what else could have set you off like that."

"I didn't say I wasn't upset with you," she replied calmly. Katara held up her hands to stop Zuko from retorting. "I said I wasn't angry with you. But you've made me upset."

Katara chewed on her lower lip, a pink glow coloring her tan cheeks. "Last night… I don't know how to feel about it."

"I'm sorry if I pushed you too far. I don't know what—"

"Zuko, just shut up and let me talk, okay?" Katara found it hard to maintain eye contact with him and turned her gaze to the side. "I'm just… I know what I am to you, technically. I know what I am _intended_ to be for you and even though last night was still innocent. I can't— I don't— I'm not happy with myself, I guess." Katara shrugged and shook her head slowly. "You're with someone. You're with Mai and you have been for a while, right? I know that monogamy is really just an option in the Fire Nation, especially knowing your father. But it's the _only_ option for me. And I respect other people's relationships."

"Katara, you don't understand."

Her eyes flashed at him. Katara stood up abruptly and quickly made her way around the table to loom over Zuko as she spoke her tirade. "You don't think I understand the complexities of a mature relationship? Or of infidelity? Or sex? Because I promise you, Zuko, I understand."

Surprised at her proximity to him, Katara straightened, watching him carefully through narrow eyes. "What? No comeback?"

Zuko felt the stirrings of his temper but took a deep breath to stifle it. "I thought you wanted to talk," he hissed. "I'm letting you talk."

"I'm obviously done."

"_Obviously_." Zuko sighed once more before beginning. "First of all, we agreed from the night that I met you that I wasn't interested in that kind of relationship with you. And I never will be." He ignored the way Katara recoiled, and he knew she misunderstood, but he'd rectify that later.

"Secondly, you know me. At least I thought you did. Do you really think I'm not the type to seek complete devotion in a relationship? That I'm like my father. You were the one that told me that I was more than what the Fire Nation thought I was or expected of me."

Katara deflated slightly and Zuko pressed on, "And finally, I'm not with Mai anymore."

"Are you lying to me?"

"What makes you think that it'd be a lie?"

"At the infirmary on Whale Tail Island, I saw it on your cot. You were writing her a letter."

Zuko tensed. "I was… that's the letter I wrote to tell Mai that it was over."

Katara scoffed. "You did it through a letter?"

"How else was I going to do it? I'm banished!"

"It's over for you but is it over for her?"

"It'll have to be."

"And what happens when a messenger hawk comes for you with something from her?"

"There won't be."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I know Mai. She won't get too caught up in it. She'll most likely hate me and hold a grudge, but she'll, for the most part, accept it." Zuko rubbed a hand over his face and groaned then moved it to the back of his neck, looking up at her nervously. "So how do you feel?"

Katara stared back at him, confusion written all over her face. "Zuko, I don't think it matters how _I_ feel about your break up. I think the important question is how you feel."

"I feel perfectly fine. Relieved. Like I'm not pretending anymore."

"You pretended to like Mai?"

Zuko shook his head slowly, thinking. As the contemplation took over his features, he spoke carefully. "No. No, not at first. I really did like her. In the beginning, maybe I thought she was just my little sister's weird friend with a crush on me. But I liked her. It's not like she was particularly sweet or anything, but I appreciated her. I always felt like she supported me, had my back. Mai knew what I was feeling most of the time." He laughed without humor. "Not that it was hard to figure out. She was a hell of a lot better than I was at reading her emotions. But I haven't felt strongly about her in a long while. We were comfortable together. In the end, she's someone who may or may not have helped me transition into who I am today."

"And you're happier now," Katara supplied.

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"About everything?" she hedged.

"Katara, last night, I _intended_ for that to happen."

An eyebrow quirked up at him and he clarified, "I didn't do all of that with the intention of kissing you, I just meant that when the moment came up, there wasn't anyone who could've stopped me from taking the chance. And I know you felt it, too. I wouldn't take it back."

Katara broke off their eye contact, feeling too exposed. She didn't realize that she was walking away from him until her back felt the cool metal of the door. "Uhm, do you think we can talk about this on deck?" she asked anxiously. "I think I need some air."

Zuko nodded and was quick to follow after Katara as she bolted from his room and onto the deck. Katara held a hand to her forehead, closing her eyes as she took several deep breaths. Still wearing the usual Fire Nation clothing, she was surprised by her shivering at the brisk air. Zuko removed the outer layer of his tunic and put it over her shoulders, leaving him with just his t-shirt. He ignored her protests, demonstrating his lack of need by breathing out a puff of smoke.

"So what is that you want from me?" she asked finally.

"Honestly, I'd take whatever you give me." His gold eyes softened and he looked at her imploringly. "But if you'd give me a chance, I'd like to try and build a real relationship with you."

"A real relationship?"

"Only if you're comfortable with it. I mean, I know I'm asking a lot of you."

She wheezed out a scoff. "Yeah, sure. The Fire Nation prince is asking some peasant for a chance… what are the chances of that happening?"

"Katara, you're not a peasant to me. And I hope I'm more than a prince to you."

"Of course."

"Then?"

The duo then turned their heads simultaneously at the music playing softly near where Iroh usually held music night. The silvery light of the rising full moon shone down and reflected in the dark water below. As Katara's eyes adjusted, she was also shocked at the familiar sights of broken ice and glaciers passing by the ship.

Having heard her audible gasp, Zuko mused, "We must be nearing the South Pole."

Katara was transfixed by his words and the snowy chunks in the water, reminding her of when she went along with Sokka and their father for Sokka's ice dodging. Then her blood froze and she turned and met Zuko's concern with a wild-eyed glance.

"What's wrong?"

"Ice dodging," she gasped. She swallowed harshly to wet her dry mouth and continued hastily. "I mentioned some really strange things last night and I have to explain—"

Katara met Zuko's gaze again and her next lie died on her lips. He looked at her with such an accepting expression, patiently waiting to hear whatever she had to say. And he'd just accept it. And after everything he had shared with her for the past six months, after everything he had just revealed, it hurt to try and lie to him even more. Zuko reached forward and used the pad of thumb to wipe away the slow stream of tears on her cheeks.

"What's wrong?"

The anxiety was turning into panic and Katara felt as though something was sitting on her chest, as if she were suffocating. The tears came faster and Katara hastily rubbed at her eyes. Her breathing grew faster until she was dry heaving. Katara refused his touch and stepped away.

"Zuko, I have to tell you something." She shook her head when he advanced towards her. "No, it can't wait and if you come near me, I won't want to go through with it."

Zuko's jaw clenched and he remained where he stood. Katara sniffled and looked up, hoping for the best.

"I haven't been honest with you. Spirits, I've been such a hypocrite when I've asked you for honesty and you've given it to me. And your friendship means so much to me. I didn't realize that I would— that I _could_ get so invested. I thought you were all the same, but you're so different." She took a shuddering breath.

"I'm sorry I'm rambling," she groaned. With another sniffle, she continued, "I'm not a Fire Nation colonist." Katara laughed harshly. "I knew nothing about the Fire Nation. I'm from the Southern Water Tribe. My father is Hakoda, chief of the Southern Water Tribe. I've been trained by some of the best Waterbenders to fight and to heal. I learned combat from Kyoshi Warriors. And I came to the Fire Nation with the intention of helping my people defeat it and end the war. I was selected by our tribe's war council to infiltrate the palace as your new servant. I accepted."

Zuko's good eye widened as she continued revealing information and though he was shocked and his suspicions were confirmed, he still couldn't find it within himself to begrudge her any anger or hatred. It was like searching for snow in the Fire Nation or a volcano at either poles. It just wasn't possible. Because in a strange way, he understood. He didn't know Katara to consciously out of malice. Sure, she had a nasty temper, but who was he to judge? And she could hold a grudge for eternity. But she would never intentionally hurt others without good reason.

"Zuko? Zuko, please don't hate me. I didn't know what I was getting into. _You_ weren't what I was expecting… and I—"

"I knew."

"And I— you knew?!"

Katara stared at him as wide-eyed as he was. "Katara—"

"Prince Zuko!"

The two teens turned towards the man coming their way. Zuko recognized him as one of his lieutenants and nodded curtly when the man bowed in front of him. "Prince Zuko, we were able to arrive sooner than anticipated. The Southern Water Tribe is less than ten nautical miles away. Your highness, we have the cover of night and surprise on our side. We predict a victory if we attack. What are your orders?"

Zuko looked back down at Katara and she glanced back, her eyes filled with trepidation.

* * *

**Acknowledgements:**

**I'Mpossible12: **You've been a delight to talk to and thanks for all of the kind words and positive energy you've been sending my way :) Yes, Zuko is the ultimate inner turmoil magnet. And I think the thing that's so difficult for him to comprehend is that he has never been exposed to love and so he wouldn't know it when he sees it— or even feels it. As for what's happened in the ten years between the story and the little Kanna/grandkids side plot, I refuse to confirm any theories lol, although I've been getting a lot of really good and interesting guesses.

**violetwingsxoxo: **Really? On a silver platter worthy of the Fire Nation Royal Family? Impossible; there's no way I could have even pleased the evil Azula herself! Hahaha thanks so much for the lovely enthusiasm and your loyalty :3 Yeah, we really got a good glimpse at Zuko's heart in the last chapter, didn't we? Wasn't my intention, but I'm glad you saw it hehe.

**raidersfan777: **Gasp. Perfect? No way. *Blushing* I always try to put out ridiculously long chapters to try and compensate for the ridiculously long intervals between updates when I have school. (I'm quite proud of the fact that I've updated this story twice in one calendar month. It's a real accomplishment in my book lol.) Oh gosh, have I really given the story and characters depth? Ugh, you flatter me to no end. Hope this last one met your expectations :)

Hmm… everyone seems to be spilling secrets lately, huh? Read, Review, Wonder :)


	14. The Avatar

**Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs purely to Mike and Bryan. This is just my vain attempt to live past the series finale.**

Chapter 13: The Avatar

* * *

**Summary: **As the daughter of the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, Katara must and will do whatever it takes to keep her people and her nation safe, even leaving it in order to become a servant in the home of the Fire Nation's Royal Family for infiltration. Instead of the war and destruction she expected, she finds beauty, life, and love, shown to her by the Fire Nation Prince himself.

* * *

_Last Time…_

"_Zuko, I have to tell you something." She shook her head when he advanced towards her. "No, it can't wait and if you come near me, I won't want to go through with it."_

_Zuko's jaw clenched and he remained where he stood. Katara sniffled and looked up, hoping for the best._

"_I haven't been honest with you. Spirits, I've been such a hypocrite when I've asked you for honesty and you've given it to me. And your friendship means so much to me. I didn't realize that I would— that I _could_ get so invested. I thought you were all the same, but you're so different." She took a shuddering breath._

"_I'm sorry I'm rambling," she groaned. With another sniffle, she continued, "I'm not a Fire Nation colonist." Katara laughed harshly. "I knew nothing about the Fire Nation. I'm from the Southern Water Tribe. My father is Hakoda, chief of the Southern Water Tribe. I've been trained by some of the best Waterbenders to fight and to heal. I learned combat from Kyoshi Warriors. And I came to the Fire Nation with the intention of helping my people defeat it and end the war. I was selected by our tribe's war council to infiltrate the palace as your new servant. I accepted."_

_Zuko's good eye widened as she continued revealing information and though he was shocked and his suspicions were confirmed, he still couldn't find it within himself to begrudge her any anger or hatred. It was like searching for snow in the Fire Nation or a volcano at either poles. It just wasn't possible. Because in a strange way, he understood. He didn't know Katara to consciously out of malice. Sure, she had a nasty temper, but who was he to judge? And she could hold a grudge for eternity. But she would never intentionally hurt others without good reason._

_"Zuko? Zuko, please don't hate me. I didn't know what I was getting into. _You _weren't what I was expecting… and I—"_

_"I knew."_

_"And I— you knew?!"_

_Katara stared at him as wide-eyed as he was. "Katara—"_

_"Prince Zuko!"_

_The two teens turned towards the man coming their way. Zuko recognized him as one of his lieutenants and nodded curtly when the man bowed in front of him. "Prince Zuko, we were able to arrive sooner than anticipated. The Southern Water Tribe is less than ten nautical miles away. Your highness, we have the cover of night and surprise on our side. We predict a victory if we attack. What are your orders?"_

_Zuko looked back down at Katara and she glanced back, her eyes filled with trepidation._

* * *

Katara could see the muscles of his jaw clench and watched nervously as he turned back to face his lieutenant.

"Get as close as you can without being seen or noticed. Then stop the ship."

"Prince Zuko, how shall we approach this? Shall I tell the men to prepare to attack? After all, this is enemy territory that we're entering. We can't merely dock at port like before."

"You don't think I realize that? Do you think that I'm a complete imbecile?" Zuko asked coolly, his voice dangerously even.

"Of course not, Prince Zuko. I didn't mean to imply anything."

Zuko ignored his apology and looked down at his side at Katara, regarding her, his mind churning. She wasn't the enemy. Not to him, not to her people. Never.

"Inform me when we're close to stopping. Prepare a small dinghy. I'll send her out first to scout." He paused before continuing, his amber eyes boring into Katara's intensely. "Then she's to be back by nightfall with a report or else we'll be forced to come after her."

Their eyes never broke contact. "Do you understand?" he asked her.

"Yes, sir, but are you sure that you want to send the girl?"

It was clear to everyone on board that the young prince was attached to the girl, if not heavily infatuated with her.

Zuko tore his gaze away from Katara, staring at the man as though he had forgotten about him. "Are you questioning my orders twice in the span of ten minutes, lieutenant?"

"Of course not," he repeated. He bowed quickly. "I'll make sure the other men heed your orders."

With an impassive gaze, Zuko watched him disappear and then turned back to Katara. She was stunned by how quickly the fire ignited in his eyes, for lack of a better word. She was spellbound by the liquid gold and had to blink and look away, feeling lightheaded.

"You know?" she asked, her voice surprising her by not betraying how faint she felt.

"I saw you that night on the storm. Protecting the ship. Saving my life. Waterbending."

"Oh." Katara really felt faint now. "Explain. More."

"I guess I just never really noticed any discrepancies in your excuses. Or questioned your excuses." He snorted. "I guess your council had the right idea when they decided to send you in." Katara blushed at his backhanded compliment and Zuko smirked. "There were also moments while you were unconscious. You'd mumble…"

Groaning, Katara hid her face in her hands. "I can't believe I was so stupid."

Zuko shrugged. "To be honest, I feel more stupid for not realizing it. I thought I was more suspicious than that." His grin turned wolfish and Katara's stomach flipped.

He continued, "And you only slipped up when you were," he cleared his throat, "otherwise preoccupied."

"Otherwise preoccupied?" Katara echoed.

"Usually when I angered you or," he cleared his throat once more, though he appeared to be slightly uncomfortable, "otherwise."

Both of them blushed, immediately understanding what he meant. When he had flustered her so much that she forgot herself.

Katara laughed in amazement. "You knew since that night? So you've known for nearly a week? And you acted like nothing happened. You saved me? Took care of me?"

"I remember little things that confused me from before but make sense now. Like after my Agni Kai when I was in the infirmary. I remember seeing a bright light and thought I was going crazy or dying. But you were trying to heal me, weren't you?"

"Yes." Katara looked strained. "And you tried to do the same for me by taking me back to Whale Tail Island? I still don't understand if you knew my secret."

"I thought we already went over_ this_ part of our discussion."

"It's been a crazy conversation," she maintained.

Zuko nodded in agreement. "I know you're focused on the fact that I've known that you were a Water Tribe girl, but do you think that you can shift your attention to the fact that it doesn't matter to me and that I'm asking if you'd want to be with me?"

"You know if anyone else told me six months ago that this is where I'd end up, I would have tried healing them, thinking they suffered serious head trauma and had brain damage." Katara smiled. "I don't know if I believe I'm awake right now or still unconscious in the infirmary."

Katara yelped when Zuko pinched her cheek. She swatted his hand away, scowling, and he chuckled.

"I was helping you figure out if you were awake," he joked. He paused before suddenly lowering his lips to the spot where he pinched her. "Is that better?"

Staring at him open-mouthed, Katara nodded, her hand slowly touching the tingling area. She sighed heavily. "Are you sure about this, Zuko?"

"Yes."

Katara was taken aback by how swiftly he responded and without any kind of hesitation. "You sound so sure."

Zuko frowned and his eyes tightened. "Seeing you go down like that… Katara I don't think I've ever been more terrified. Even when I was facing my father during the Agni Kai and genuinely worried for my life. It pales in comparison to the abstract terror that took over when you disappeared in the wave."

"I'm also a little scared of how strongly I feel this," he admitted. "But I think I'm more fearful of what will happen if I let you walk away without knowing how I felt."

"You've only felt this way for a few days, Zuko. How do you know that you won't get over me in the same span of time?"

"I've felt this way for a while Katara, I only just realized it a few days ago." He glared at her, hurt. "Why are you so keen on me having to explain myself?"

"Oh Zuko… because you're so impulsive and passionate, but you don't think things through."

Zuko ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Can you just stop thinking, _stop thinking_ for a minute. And feel."

Zuko entered her personal space and Katara's stomach tightened as he approached her. She licked her lips and gasped when Zuko pulled her closer, one hand at the small of her back. He leaned down, his face strained by nervous tension. Katara ventured a hand towards him and he closed his eyes, allowing her touch. He took in air sharply when her fingers touched his scar and Katara felt him release the air through his lips when she placed her thumb there.

He told her to feel. Katara felt content. Warm. Safe. Wanted. Excited, apprehensive, nervous, giddy, relieved, and comfortable. Happy. Her mind stalled before she finally settled on that last feeling. Katara scoffed in amazement and felt her growing smile.

She felt loved.

Katara knew that Zuko hadn't expressed anything of the sort, nor did she expect and want him to right now. What mattered was that even if he didn't, he made her feel that way.

"Okay," she acquiesced.

His eyes shot open and Zuko beamed at her. He took her hand and squeezed it tightly. "Are you sure?"

"You've got to be kidding me, Zuko!" Katara huffed. "We're not rehashing this conversation in reversed roles. I don't have the emotional strength."

"I want to know that this is your choice and not just because you'd feel bad about rejecting me."

Rolling her eyes, Katara assured him, "Trust me, if I wanted to, I wouldn't have any qualms about rejecting you." She regarded him thoughtfully, her blue eyes sparkling. "But you didn't get a huge declaration from me."

"I don't need it. We'll have the rest of our time together for you to let me know how you feel."

Katara couldn't help but smile up at him, her heart warming at his sudden romantic words. "I almost don't know who you are anymore. I'm not used to romantic Zuko."

"Which Zuko are you used to?"

"Moody, bossy, brooding, angry, yelling, condescending… you know, the usual."

"I can be him, too," he threatened, glaring at her.

"Good."

Zuko raised an eyebrow and Katara stepped closer, her arms snaking around his torso, surprising herself with her bravery. "I like him. He's a real person."

"Agni forbid you fall for an imaginary person instead."

Katara giggled and Zuko's face softened at the sound. His hands cupped around her neck gently, his thumbs stroking the soft skin of her cheeks. Tilting her face up, Zuko lowered his to capture her bottom lip between his. Even with his eyes closed, he could feel her smile and Zuko pulled away. One of his thumbs glided over her lips.

"This is a million times better when you're conscious."

Katara laughed and gawked at him with wide eyes. "Excuse me? What do you mean when I'm conscious?"

"The night you got hurt, you swallowed water and stopped breathing. I had to give you mouth-to-mouth-resuscitation."

An airy laugh escaped from Katara and her laughter grew until her stomach hurt until she felt as though she had to double over. "Well I'm glad I'm a better kisser when I'm awake."

"I didn't say that exactly," Zuko hedged. "I don't know if I could make that evaluation without more information."

Katara tiptoed and pressed their lips together again, savoring the press of their lips, and melded their bodies together. Zuko tangled a hand in her thick hair, tilting her head back and allowing him to deepen the kiss. He moved his fingertips against her scalp, remembering how it relaxed her last night. He swallowed her sigh and took his chance to lightly scrape his teeth against her full bottom lip. Katara gasped and Zuko exploited her responses once more, quickly swiping his tongue across her lower lip. Katara pressed herself against him, her mouth parting further and Zuko took it as his cue to intensify the kiss, running his tongue across her teeth before meeting hers.

Katara emitted a small moan and shyly moved her tongue against his. Wanting to tease him, she pulled her tongue back to nip at his tongue. In response, Zuko pulled back suddenly, a mischievous grin on his face before trailing kisses up the side of her cheek to her hairline and then her ear. Katara shivered when she felt the warm breath on her ear and bit down on her lip when he nipped at her earlobe. She grabbed his chin and pulled it back to her mouth, dominating the kiss by capturing his lips with hers. He chuckled, the throaty sound reverberating through her and settling in her stomach.

They pulled back, eyes locked and slightly breathless.

"Eager?" he asked with a smirk.

Katara blushed but grinned back. She hugged him tightly, her cheek flush against his firm chest, listening to the quickened heartbeat and he rested his chin on the crown of her head.

"Your heart's racing," she whispered.

"With good reason."

Being so close to him, Katara was able to feel when he tensed up. "What's wrong?"

"I'm beginning to regret letting you go home."

She pulled back to look at him completely, her mood sobering quickly. "Zuko, I can't lie to them. Not to my family, my father. Especially him— he's the chief of the tribe."

Zuko cursed under his breath and soothed her by rubbing her back. "Tell them what you know and what you think they should know."

Her expression turned aghast. "Are you sure you want me to do that?"

"Just do what you need to do, Katara." He hesitated before asking, "Do you think the Avatar is there?"

Katara shook her head adamantly. "I grew up here. My parents grew up here. There's been no sign. There's no Avatar." She bit her lip nervously. "Besides, I don't have much to tell them. I was a really horrible spy. I kept getting distracted."

Chuckling softly, Zuko drew her in closer once more. "Then let's make this a quick stop." He paused and his voice lowered, a solemn, sad tone. "Unless you want to stay," he offered.

Surprising herself, Katara mumbled, "I think I like where I am." Zuko's hold on her tightened and she closed her eyes, burying her face into his chest, satisfied.

* * *

Katara looked up nervously at Zuko as she was lowered down the side of the ship in the small boat. She didn't know how to handle the motorized dinghies and requested a simple rowboat. She had to assure Zuko that she knew how to maneuver it around the ice a million times, swearing on the entire Spirit World before he agreed. Even then, she could still see the weariness on his face and she had to remind him that she grew up around ice and water.

As she watched him, she could see the tightness in his eyes, the set of his jaw. Venturing a small, reassuring smile, Zuko's expression softened slightly but he still had an air of tension around him. Katara supposed he would remain that way until she returned that night. The sun was just beginning to rise; she had all day to be with her family before leaving again.

Once the boat touched the water and detached from the boat, Katara set to work on rowing towards the settlement she had called home for so long. Because she was rowing backwards, Katara was able to maintain her eye contact with Zuko until she had to curve around a bend and disappeared behind a large glacier. She knew that she wouldn't be seen by the crew anymore. The Southern Water Tribe was protected by the tall, icy landmarks. The sheer size of them shielded the tribe and allowed them a first line of defense.

Lifting the oars out of the water and placing them on the floor of her boat, Katara stood up in the dinghy, tensing her body to prevent from falling over. Then she lifted and extended her arms, hearing the quiet roar of the growing have behind her. Thrusting her arms out in front of her, the wave crashed and propelled the boat forward quickly. Katara directed the dinghy agilely through the ice, swerving around floating chunks, rising and swelling over stationary boulders.

Eventually, the water began to clear and she didn't have to move against the stronger currents of open sea. As the ice slowly disappeared from her line of sight, Katara relaxed her bending. Her arms dropped and the wooden boat stopped, only rocking gently as she gasped at the crowds of people awaiting her at the dock and along the coast.

At the front of the crowds was her family— Hakoda, Sokka, Kanna, and Pakku. Sokka threw his fist up in the air and cheered when he saw her. But it was the solemn yet proud look in her father's eyes that caused Katara's heart to swell and tears to fall.

Bending a huge wave, Katara sailed up onto the shore and jumped off of the boat, into her father's waiting arms. "Dad!"

Hakoda tightened his arms around his daughter, smiling.

"Welcome home, Katara."

The both of them laughed when Sokka joined in, glomping them both at the same time.

Hakoda led his family away from the shore and through the crowds. "I'm so proud of you, Katara."

His arms were around his children's shoulders proudly. Katara smiled and waved at everyone who shouted their praises at her and congratulated her. Katara lagged behind when her family entered the large central igloo. Standing outside of the official building, Katara held her hands together in front of her and bowed in front of her people.

Tears in her eyes, she thanked them. "I love being a member of the Water Tribes, the most loving community and home. And it is my love for my home, my culture, and my fellow people that helped get me through the past six months. I'm forever thankful for the love I felt and feel right now… and for the hope that you may not even know you instilled in me. Thank you."

She bowed slowly and smiled at them before following her family back inside, Sokka's hand on her back to usher her inside. "Come on, sis, we've got five flavor soup!"

Katara smiled eagerly and playfully tugged on one of the patches of stubble on his chin. "Are you trying to grow facial hair? It's all patchy," she teased.

Sokka scowled at her and pushed her hand away from his face. "Jeez, I forgot how annoying you could be."

"Hey, Katara."

The siblings stopped from following everyone else into the banquet hall and turned to see a young warrior who appeared to be a little older than Sokka. Sokka glowered at him and made his way towards him, but Katara held him back.

"Hahn," she addressed him calmly.

"Look, I just wanted to apologize about the way I acted towards you before you left. It was my fault that you were the one who had to go." Hahn shrugged and rubbed the back of his head. "I'm glad you're back and that you're alright."

Considering him, Katara reached out her hand and smiled when he took it. "No, thank you. Being given that assignment was one of the best things that's happened to me."

"Well at least it's over now, huh?"

Katara frowned. "Over?"

"I'll see you guys inside."

"Over?" she asked Sokka.

"You mean you're not going to stay?"

"Sokka, it's not as simple as it sounds. I need to—"

Hakoda came out of the hall, laughing boisterously. "Hurry up, you two. Everyone's waiting. Katara, the council's waiting to be briefed with whatever information you have. And I'm sure you want some breakfast, right Katara?"

"I'm actually full, Dad. I ate breakfast on the ship."

"Katara, you should eat a real meal, not some mush in a bowl."

She frowned at him. "I had my favorite— smoked sea slug with rice and a cup of lychee nut tea."

Hakoda and Sokka stared at her and Katara squirmed under their scrutiny. "You have a favorite dish? Well the Fire Nation's so rich, they probably had surplus of food to give. At least you aren't malnourished." Hakoda continued to move them through the crowds to sit at a large table.

As soon as Hakoda left them to speak with other members of the council, Sokka hissed in Katara's ear, "What do you mean you're not going to stay? I thought we agreed as soon as you come back home, it's for good and we find another way."

"Sokka, what other way is there? If I come back home, we'll be right back where we started and then what? We're no closer to ending this war than before."

"What do you think we've been doing here? Sitting on our hands, waiting for your next letter? The council and the Earth kings have been talking for a while."

Katara paused to mull over his information. "You managed to get a message through to Ba Sing Se? King Kuei's always ignored anything we've sent."

"We pulled a Katara."

"A Katara?"

"Yeah, sent someone in under the guise of a refugee Earth Kingdom citizen."

"And who would this be?"

Sokka blushed. "Suki."

Katara grinned at the mention of her brother's crush-slash-maybe-girlfriend. "How long?"

"She's been in the Earth Kingdom for about three months. Made it to Ba Sing Se a month ago. Contact with the king two weeks ago."

Nodding appreciatively at Suki's skill, Katara asked, "How'd she get to King Kuei? I've been hearing that his political advisor and secret police like to keep a tight leash on him?" Katara vaguely remembered Zuko's frustration two months ago as his attempted correspondence with the man, Long Feng, resulted in a dead end and Zuko changed their course for the Southern Water Tribe instead of Ba Sing Se.

"The Dai Li. And Long Feng likes to think himself the real king of Ba Sing Se, not its Grand Secretariat." Sokka turned to eat a spoonful of the soup and he pushed a plate towards her. "Haf shum uf tha shoo."

"Maybe I'll have some soup later. How'd Suki deal with the Dai Li?"

Swallowing noisily, he deadpanned, "She's the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. How do you think?"

Katara resisted the urge to bend soup into his face. Sokka pushed another plate towards her.

"Katara, giant sea crabs from the North Pole. Giant. Sea. Crabs."

"Yeah, I got that, Sokka." Katara pushed away the crabs and hissed, "So what's going to happen when I tell the council— when I tell _Dad_— that I'm leaving tonight?"

"Tonight?"

"I need to be back by nightfall."

"Or else?"

"Or else Zuko will come and get me."

Sokka blinked at her then scoffed before continuing to eat. "_That's _what you're worried about?" He bit into the leg of his arctic hen. "Katara, don't worry about them. We've got more than a couple boatloads of warriors from both tribes. We'll scare him away in no time."

Katara groaned and snatched the hen from his hands, ignoring his whining. "Sokka, you never listen. I don't want to stay. I want to go back."

"Katara, the council decided that we don't need you endangering yourself any further. You don't need to feel like you need to go back."

"Sokka, I could care less about the damn mission. I want to go back for Zuko!"

Sokka slowly turned to face her, putting down the new arctic hen leg he had picked up. He regarded her carefully. "Let's go."

"Sokka?"

"Come with me!"

The siblings left the crowded hall and back out into the tundra. Sokka led her back into the dinghy she arrived in and motioned impatiently for her to get in. He shook his head when she made to waterbend them.

"I want to row," he grunted.

Katara nodded and he took them out to where people usually fished. Seeing as how it was mealtime and the fish for the day's markets and trade would have already been caught, it was deserted. Sokka released the oars and leaned back, shaking his head.

"Katara what are you thinking?" He reached up at the sides of his scalp where his hair was freshly shaven. Katara supposed he was used to the hair that he had let grow in during his brief stay in the Fire Nation.

"I knew you had a crazy crush on the guy, but you're telling me that you're willing to go off with him on this wild mongoose-lizard chase?!"

Katara looked down at her lap and shrugged. "Sokka, I don't know…" She looked up at her older brother imploringly, "He saved my life. I was stupid. There was this huge storm and I thought I could waterbend us to safety. I nearly got myself killed. He saved me. Turned the ship around to get me to the nearest healer."

Sokka considered her words silently. Katara sighed and continued.

"He even celebrated my birthday. I forgot about my birthday and he insisted we celebrate it. Gave me these beautiful earrings. I know it sounds shallow, but I know he cares about me too, Sokka." She smiled sadly. "He knows what it's like to lose a mother. Told me about how she was exiled from the Fire Nation. He's been hurt, too." She swallowed before adding, "And I know you think he's just a pompous prince, but he's so much more than that. He's protected me since the night I've met him. I've seen him show kindness. He's not like his family."

Sokka shook his head and asked quietly, "Does he love you?"

"I don't know," Katara admitted. "But he makes me feel like I'm loved."

Sokka bent down to try and meet his little sister's eyes. "Do you love him?"

Katara blushed. "I'm not sure. But I want to give him the chance and see if I do."

"You know, I ought to keep you here until nightfall and wait for him to show up so I can talk to him. But he'd probably recognize me from the palace, wouldn't he?"

"He knows."

"He— he _what_?" Sokka blustered.

"The night I was out during the storm, he saw me waterbending. That's how he managed to save me. He came up on deck to look for me."

"And how do you know he really feels this way about you? Are you sure he's not playing with you?"

"I trust him, Sokka."

Sokka pouted and crossed his arms. "Still, I think we should wait for them to show up and then we'll take over the ship— keep them hostage."

"Sokka, no," she scolded.

"I never figured how much trouble your little crush on the prince could cause," he commented, ignoring her scolding.

"It's not a crush," she retorted, though she turned pink.

"Yeah, ok," he scoffed.

Katara's temper rose and around them, the calm water became aggressive. The gentle rocking of the boat intensified into deep sways that caused Sokka to grip the side. He looked at Katara with a mixture of fear and annoyance.

"Sokka, quit it. And you know what? Quit acting like you know him because _I'm_ the one who's spent _months_ with him and I'm telling you that he's not like the others."

"Okay, okay! Katara calm down!"

Sokka gently flicked one of her earrings and pushed back the sleeve of her thick, furry parka to reveal the red, silky cloth that Katara still had tied around her wrist. "You know, you should really work on hiding it more in your letters. And when you talk to the council later." He sighed at Katara. "You're going to have to choose eventually," he reminded her gently.

By now, Katara's powerful waterbending began to settle and the waters calmed down, prompting Sokka to tentatively release his vice-like grip on the sides of the dinghy.

"I'm your big brother. I only want to make sure that you're safe." He pressed his lips together and reluctantly added, "And that you're happy. But I don't want to be there when you tell Dad."

Katara rolled her eyes at him and pulled him in for a tight hug. "Idiot," she admonished. "Thank you."

The two broke apart and looked at each other in alarm when they felt the boat shuddering. They peered over the edge and noticed the rumbling within the water.

"Katara, that's you right?"

"I have nothing to be upset about right now, Sokka," she shot back. "Quit blaming my bending for everything that— ah!"

Sokka immediately huddled over Katara and provided cover from the chunks of ice that fell from the tall ice formations surrounding them, creating huge pillars of water as they splashed into the sea. From where she huddled, Katara could see over the edge and into the water, her eyes widening at what she saw. Tapping him insistently, Katara forced him off of her and to look into the water. Sokka's own eyes widened in trepidation and he hurried to grab the oars.

"Katara, bend us out of here!"

Katara continued to stare at the strange light coming from the water until Sokka called her a second time. She raised her arms, but another shudder swayed the boat and toppled her over and she landed in the water, hearing Sokka's muffled voice through the water. Katara immediately bent an air bubble around head by bending away the water. Her first instinct was to swim up to the surface, but her attention was captured by the glowing light. Katara turned and swam further down to investigate. She gasped when she saw the silhouette of a small boy trapped within the ice. He was also the source of the bright light. Katara quickly tried to free him, grunting as she tried to bend the enormous glacier trapping him.

A resounding crack echoed and she stared at the large fissure she had caused. As it began to spider, Katara quickly swam to the surface, gasping, and Sokka pulled her out of the freezing water into the boat.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

"Boy," she panted, "Boy in the water. In ice."

"What? Katara, what are you saying?"

A harsh blue light burst from beneath the water and raced to the sky in a large pillar, spreading across the tundra. Once more, Sokka covered Katara until the light died. When they turned around, they gawked at the sight of the boy in strange clothing and tattoos floating in the air. The light dimmed from the arrow-shaped tattoos on his bald head and hands before he began to hurtle back down.

"Sokka!"

"Catch him!"

Hurriedly, Katara bent up a pillar of water to carry him onto their boat. Sokka and Katara hovered over him cautiously and he slowly opened his eyes, as if a newborn adjusting to the world for the first time. Katara was taken aback by the grey color.

"Sokka," she murmured. "His eyes. And tattoos."

"Huh?" The boy sat up, his wide eyes absorbing his surroundings quickly. "What's going on?" he mumbled. He settled his gaze on Katara and he grinned. "My name's Aang," he said energetically.

A loud, deep whine echoed around them and Sokka and Katara fell back into the boat while Aang eagerly stood up, leaping into the air and onto the back of what looked like some kind of overgrown, fluffier buffalo yak.

"Appa!"

"Who are you?" Sokka demanded.

"I'm Aang."

"Sokka…" Katara pushed her brother aside and stared up at the large animal. She directed her attention to the young boy. "You… the way you leapt up there. You're an Airbender."

"Yup." He smiled nervously at Katara. "And thanks for catching me. You're a great Waterbender, by the way." he said shyly.

Katara simply stared at him at a loss for words while Sokka groaned and slapped his palm against his forehead. Katara turned to glare at him. "We need to bring him back to the council."

"Katara, you can't possibly think that this little kid is—"

"He's the only one left, Sokka!"

"It's ridiculous. How are we supposed to rely on—"

"Hey!" Aang directed the large animal to swim towards their small boat. "What are you talking about?"

Katara held a hand up to quiet her brother, who shot her an indignant glare. "You're the Avatar, aren't you?" In her excitement, she missed how Aang's face fell and shifted uncomfortably, his hands tightening over the reins he held on the strange animal. "This… this animal is your sky bison. I've heard of them. Gran-Gran used to tell us stories about them. Stories she heard as a child from _her_ grandmother."

"Yeah, Appa's one of my best friends." Aang frowned. "What do you mean, stories? They fly all over the place. You have to be careful when you're gliding in the Southern Air Temple or you might fly into one of them."

Katara frowned. "Aang, there are no more Airbenders or sky bisons. No one's seen or heard of the Avatar in nearly a century."

Aang's face became stricken and contorted angrily. "You're lying!" he cried, a gust of wind blowing at them.

Sokka dropped his oars and fell over backwards. "Great. Now you've done it, Katara."

* * *

Katara nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, that's great, Aang! Now just lean your weight back and push forward with your arm."

The stream of water Aang was controlling limply moved forward before completely falling apart and splashing the two of them. Aang smiled at her apologetically while Katara merely laughed, bending the water off of her and him. Sokka groaned and shivered when the cold wind bit through his now drenched clothing.

"Watch it!" he yelled.

Ignoring him, Katara smiled encouragingly at Aang. "That was a good first try, Aang. The key to executing the water whip is having enough force to really whip the water. It's all in the changing of your weight. Here, watch."

Katara almost lazily lifted the spilled water from the ground and pulled one of her arms backwards, as if an archer pulling back a notched arrow. The ball of water followed her arm, swirling before stretching into a thin tendril. "Watch how I lean back from the lunge, shifting my weight to my back leg."

Gracefully, as she sank into her back leg, Katara pushed off and lunged forward, her back arm pushing forward and swinging as if she were tossing a ball underhandedly. Her other arm circled backwards and stretched out elegantly behind her. The tendril of water curled in the air and swirled in an elegant arc. Then, it snaked around and shot forward. Sokka's eyes widened at the cold stream of water and quickly dove into the snow bank to avoid it.

"Katara, quit it!"

She shrugged innocently and Sokka rolled his eyes. Katara looked back down at Aang, asking, "Do you want to try it again?"

Blinking his large eyes at her, Aang blushed. "Maybe you should try it again. I don't think I got a good look."

Brushing off the snow from his shoulders, Sokka huffed, "It sounds like you got enough of a look if you ask me."

"What do you think is taking so long, Sokka?"

The older sibling shrugged, shaking the snow out of his warrior's wolf tale. "I mean, you've given them a lot to process and figure out, Katara. The information on the Fire Nation, the Avatar. The council kept you for a pretty long time. I'm pretty certain I can say that no one was expecting _Aang_. So you know, thanks for throwing that wrench into the machine."

Katara was about to retort when the group of older men and women emerged from the igloo, stern expressions on their face. Hakoda called over his children and Aang.

"I apologize, Avatar, for the long wait, but—"

"Please, call me Aang."

Hakoda momentarily stared at the young Airbender but nodded. "Aang. We had to discuss our next plan of action. I assume you've been informed of how much the world has changed since you disappeared."

"Katara told me," he began slowly. "But it can't all be true, right? A whole group of people can't be gone. All of the sky bisons. And the Fire Nation can't be the cause. My best friend is from the Fire Nation."

Katara met her father's concerned gaze and shook her head sadly. The older man sighed and knelt down in front of him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Aang, but it's all true. The Fire Nation's genocide of the Air Nomads is what began this century-long war. They nearly succeeded in wiping out the Southern Water Tribe."

Aang removed himself from Hakoda's hand. "So what do you want me to do?" he demanded. "I'm just a kid. I can't be the savior you're hoping for."

Pakku stepped forward. "You are the Avatar. The fate of the world is in your hands. It is your responsibility to maintain balance." His eyes were stern and looked down at Aang. They narrowed. "You must master the other three elements and help us end the war."

Aang's gaze wavered and he ran off, grabbing his staff and leaping up, gaining height as he flew off.

"Aang!" Katara called out. She turned around to glare at the council. "He's twelve years old. He doesn't realize everything that's happened. His friends, his family, his _nation_ is gone! You can't expect him to be able to cope that quickly or that easily!"

Hakoda moved towards her and Katara stepped back. Hakoda sighed. "Katara, time is of the essence. While we speak, the Fire Nation is producing more weapons, sending out more ships to raid and destroy villages and families. They nearly ended the Southern Water Tribe. According to you, there's a ship less than ten miles from here!"

Katara turned to glare at Sokka for telling their father.

"And you expect me to let you go back?" Hakoda's eyes hardened. "Stop glaring at your brother. You should've been the one to tell me. And you're not setting foot on that ship."

"Dad, I have to."

"You're not going."

"Dad—"

"I said _no_, Katara."

Kanna held her son's arm. "Hakoda," she said sternly. "Not now."

"Your mother's right, Hakoda," Bato joined in. "We need to decide how to proceed with the young avatar."

Pakku snorted. "We do exactly what I said. Get him trained, make sure he masters the other elements, and end this war. He needs to face the Fire Lord."

Katara's eyes widened. "You can't be serious. I've seen Fire Lord Ozai's skills, his tenacity, his _brutality_ up close. There's no way Aang can face him!"

"Then you need to work hard, Katara. You should be the one to train him."

"Me?" Katara laughed bitterly. "You're joking, Master Pakku. Me?"

Pakku flinched at her use of his title, which she hadn't done since he had returned with her to the Southern Water Tribe to reunite with and marry Kanna. "You are my best student, Katara. And we all witnessed you with him, just now. You'll be a great teacher. The Avatar clearly won't learn with me."

"I can't teach the _Avatar_," she argued.

Kanna took her by the shoulders and rubbed her arms reassuringly. "Come with me, my little Waterbender. Let's talk."

Katara huffed and stomped away from her family and the council, apathetic to their opinion of her disrespect.

Katara walked silently next to her grandmother, hugging herself as she stared at the snow. Kanna gently rubbed her granddaughter's back as they walked. She looked out at the sea in front of them and then back at Katara, a sigh passing through her weathered lips. She reached into the pockets of her thick coat and held something in front of Katara. They stopped and Katara focused on the dangling pendant, a carving of the symbol of the Water Tribes etched deeply in the blue stone.

With gentle fingers, Katara took her mother's necklace from Kanna, softly running her fingers over the smooth stone.

"I thought I lost it," she whispered. "I tried looking for it in my pack before I set sail from the palace."

"Apparently, it got mixed in with your brother's things. He found it in his bags when he returned several months ago. I've been keeping it safe until your return." She nodded. "And now I'm giving it back to you."

"Gran-Gran, I can't take this. I might lose it."

"No, I don't think you will, Katara. Besides, your neck has been looking a little bare, especially with your new accessories."

"My new accessories?"

Kanna gently reached for the earring dangling from Katara's ear, now in plain sight ever since Katara plaited her hair like she used to before taking off for the Fire Nation. Wisely, Kanna also reached for her wrist, tapping it while giving Katara a knowing look.

"Sokka told you," Katara ventured, her tone piqued.

Kanna shook her head. "A grandmother knows things, my child. I have had your image ingrained in my memory since the day you were born until you left us to go to the Fire Nation. Did you think I wouldn't notice any changes? Even the most subtle of differences are obvious to a grandmother, little Waterbender."

She smiled kindly and pressed her hand affectionately against Katara's cheek. "But it is your eyes that are most telling, Katara. I've known these eyes for the past sixteen years. I watched every emotion imaginable pass through them as you grew up. And now they are showing me an emotion I haven't seen before. But I recognize it. It's the same one your parents held in their eyes as they looked at each other."

Katara couldn't help but close her eyes, feeling as though they betrayed her.

"No, I understand, Katara. Believe me, I understand the conflict between love and duty. Of the allure— the need, really— of venturing into the unknown. You are more like me than I could have ever imagined."

Katara met her eyes and asked softly, "What do you mean?"

"Don't you remember how I left Pakku to come to the Southern Water Tribe. I left my family, my friends, my fiancé back in the Northern Water Tribe. And now you're feeling a similar conflict. Tell me, who is it that has you feeling split?"

"It's here, Gran-Gran. This place," Katara whispered. "I've already decided I wanted to stay with him, but it's Sokka and Dad and everyone here making me stay…"

"Katara, if there's one thing I know about you, it is that no one can make you do anything you don't want to. You do whatever feels right _in your heart_. Your family will understand. I already do." Kanna gently stroked Katara's face. "You have my support."

"I don't know if I can."

"I left the Northern Water Tribe because of how I disagreed with its chauvinistic traditions and because Pakku adhered to them. I had a duty to myself to find a place where I was happy. Someone who accepted me the way I was. Eventually, Pakku changed his ways and found me again— accepted me and loved me more than he did before. Katara, you do what feels right to you. You have a duty to yourself. I promise you, in the end, everyone who truly matters will accept your decision."

"What about Aang? His waterbending?"

"Don't worry about that. I'll make sure Pakku stops being so lazy." Kanna's eyes crinkled with joy. "Although, I know he truly meant it when he called you his favorite student."

"How can you be so sure about everything?" Katara asked.

"It had been a while since I've had hope. But watching you and Sokka leave to fight for the greater good, and come back safe… you brought it back to life, my little Waterbender. You are an unstoppable force, Katara. Don't let anyone make you believe otherwise."

Katara smiled and closed her fist tightly around her mother's necklace before gently wrapping her arms around her grandmother.

"I love you."

"And I love you, child," Kanna laughed.

"Katara!"

Sokka ran through the snow in their direction. "Katara!"

Katara glowered at her brother. "Sokka you should really know better than to try and come talk to me right now," she snapped.

"It's not what you think," he panted. "I didn't tell Dad about you and Zuko," His eyes widened when he finally noticed Kanna and gave Katara a panicked, apologetic look.

Kanna merely raised her eyebrows and laughed. Turning to Katara she asked, "Zuko? As in Prince Zuko? Hm, the prince himself? I thought it was merely a Fire Nation boy, another servant in the palace maybe, but the prince? Katara, you really are something special."

Katara blushed and looked back at Sokka expectantly. He looked between the two women, frowning. "Gran-Gran knows? _Gran-Gran_? You told her?"

"I didn't tell her!" Katara yelled back.

Quickly interceding in order to end her grandchildren's bickering, Kanna said, "You should know by now, Sokka. Grandmothers know _everything_."

Sokka gulped nervously. "E-everything?"

Kanna playfully narrowed her eyes at him, leaning forward. "Everything," she whispered.

Katara sighed and waved her hand in front of Sokka to stop his staring match with their grandmother and get his attention. "Why'd you come over here Sokka?"

"No one else knows about you and Zuko, I swear. I told you I'd have your back when you decided to tell everyone. Especially Dad. But Dad cornered me."

Katara groaned, knowing the nature of her brother and father's relationship. "So what _did_ you tell him?"

"I was trying to help, Katara. I was mentioning to Dad that maybe he should just agree to let you go back because we all know you'd find your way back there eventually. And then he managed to get me talking and I told him how you made the deal to go back by nightfall. That's how he knew about the ship. But after you ran off, I told him that he needs to trust you more and have more faith that you know what you're doing."

Katara let out a sound that was a mixture of a groan and a sigh before hugging her brother tightly, forcing him to take a step back before reciprocating the embrace.

"Thank you, Sokka. How did Dad take it?"

Sokka shrugged. "Why do you think I ran over to tell you?"

The two laughed but were cut off when yet someone else was running towards them. Katara and Sokka straightened up and glowered at the warrior who stopped in front of them. Katara narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms defiantly, thinking him to be one of her father's messengers.

"Can we help you?" she asked coolly.

"I have word from the men posted near the wall of glaciers!" he panted. "They've sighted a Fire Nation ship coming towards us. They say that they're awaiting orders on whether to attack or not."

Sharing a worried look with Sokka, Katara whispered, "But it's not nightfall yet! Why are they early?"

Sokka's lips formed a thin line and he ordered the warrior. "Have you given word to the council yet?"

"No."

"Go inform them, immediately. Let's go!"

"Wait!" Katara cried. Hurrying to the edge of the water, Katara froze a large block of the water into ice. "Everyone get on! This will be faster!"

Sokka and the warrior helped Kanna onto the slippery makeshift raft. "I've got her, Katara! Go!"

Katara nodded and moved them through the water, feeling the light spray of the salty water on her face as they skidded and skipped on the surface. Unable to slowly pull to a stop onshore and too impatient to attempt it, Katara raised them up on a wave and cascaded back down onto the shore, the ice sliding into a group of people until they ended up in front of the council hall, where her father still stood, discussing something with Bato in hushed tones.

"Katara! We need to speak—"

"Not now, Dad," she said assertively. "_He,_" she pointed to the messenger behind her, "said that guards at the wall have seen a Fire Nation ship approaching. You need to let me go back."

"They're attempting an attack? Katara, that's more than enough reason for me _not_ to let you go."

"Hey! You! What did they say about activity onboard?"

The young man stepped forward nervously, looking between the chief and his strong willed daughter. "The guards did say it was peculiar… the crew wasn't preparing any cannons or catapults on the deck. And they were traveling at a relatively slow pace if they were planning a surprise attack."

"Dad, I don't care what you need to say to me. They're not coming to hurt anyone and I need to go talk to them and see what it is that they want. You _have_ to start trusting me to be able to take care of myself."

Hakoda's shoulders fell and he sighed. "Katara, that's not it. I know you can take care of yourself. I just, I don't want you to have to."

Katara's face softened slightly and she whispered, "I'm not always going to be your little girl."

"Of course you will be." Hakoda placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye. "I just need to realize that my little girl is also a grown woman. You think you can get them out of here?"

"Yes."

"Still don't know what we're going to do about the Avatar."

Kanna snorted. "You force my husband to teach him. He's getting lazy."

Hakoda smirked at his mother and nodded sharply. "Yes, Mother." Turning back to Katara, he asked, "Do you need anything from us?"

Katara smiled and shook her head. "No. I can handle it from here." She bit on her lower lip before adding, "Dad, look, I should explain why it's so imperative for me to get back to the ship."

"Besides your love for your people and your duty to them? Katara, I understand—"

Looking at her grandmother, Katara felt her resolve grow at Kanna's encouraging smile and Sokka's nod. "No, Dad. It's more than that. It's my duty to myself and the love I have for—"

"Chief Hakoda! We're receiving further news of the ships' approach. It'll arrive at the glacier wall in minutes!" another messenger yelled, racing towards them.

Hakoda's expression became stern and Katara sighed, knowing that it wasn't the right time. "Forget it, Dad," she murmured. "I'll tell you about it the next time I come home."

"You know, this morning, I really thought that I finally had you two home to myself. Ever since I had started sending you and Sokka up North to be trained, I feel like I haven't seen you kids in ages. And now… well I'm leading a few troops up into the Earth Kingdom. I can't expect Suki to play the middleman forever."

"You're taking Sokka too, right?"

"You don't really expect me to keep him separated from Suki forever do you?"

She laughed and shook her head, hugging him fiercely. "I'll miss you."

Hakoda closed his eyes as he leaned his head on the crown of her head. "Keep the letters coming, Katara. Every bit of information is worth something. I know you felt like your information was being overshadowed by Aang's discovery." He released her and took a large pack from Bato. "This isn't much, but it's something to remind you of home."

"It's already packed? But we just found out about the ship…"

"Sokka might have been able to straighten me out a bit earlier. Now go on. We'll see you soon."

Katara leapt into her father's arms once more in a strong hug before smiling and doing the same with Sokka and Kanna. Then, she waved quickly at the council, briefly making eye contact with Aang, who had returned and sulked near the back of the crowd. She nodded at him and smiled when he nodded back. She pulled the pack's straps over her shoulders and hurried into the small dinghy, pushing off of the snowy shore and bending her way back out towards the open sea.

* * *

Katara acknowledged the guards as she moved past the tall glaciers. "Don't worry anymore," she called. "The ship won't be coming any closer." She slowed while she waited for their recognition of her orders before speeding off once more, halting her bending and using the oars when she saw the dark metal ship.

To her relief, the ship groaned as it came to a stop and she rowed over to the side, waiting for them to drop the hooks she would attach to the dinghy in order to be lifted up. Tilting her head up, Katara spotted Zuko leaning out far over the edge to watch her. Just as she predicted, he appeared to be much more relaxed when she left and overcome with relief.

Zuko didn't wait for the dinghy to be raised completely before he reached down, his hands gripping Katara's waist as he lifted her up and over the railing before carefully putting her feet down on the deck. Immediately, he took her pack off of her shoulders, handing it to one of his men and ordering him to put it in her room.

"Katara," he whispered, almost as if it were a prayer. "You're alright."

She blinked at him in confusion. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Zuko took her hand and led her to his room, closing the door behind him. "What did you say to your family? To your council?"

Katara sighed, sat down on his bed, and folded her hands in her lap, her shoulders slumping. "I didn't tell them anything. At least, nothing worth telling."

Zuko frowned, perplexed. "Why not?"

Katara closed her eyes and shook her head. Zuko joined her on the bed, turning her to face him. She shrugged. "They were distracted at the time…" she said vaguely. "By the time I briefed them… they weren't too interested in what I had to say."

"So they know nothing about the Fire Nation or me… or _us_?" he pressed.

"My grandmother and brother know." Katara felt Zuko tense and added quickly, "They both support me and are happy that I'm happy."

"Your older brother?" he recalled, remembering one of her slips.

"Sokka."

Zuko raised an eyebrow at that. "The horrible servant?" He shook his head and tried to remember what they were talking about before she mentioned her family, though he couldn't deny the slight elation at the small victory of her family members' acceptance. "The council?" he prompted.

"Whatever information I had was not their main concern," she said softly.

Zuko scoffed. "What the hell could be so important that they would blow off any intelligence that you may have? Katara, you're not lying to me, are you? I meant what I said, that you could have told them anything and I wouldn't be angry."

"They want me to stay in the Southern Water Tribe," she whispered hoarsely, her voice cracking slightly.

"Stay," he echoed roughly.

Katara nodded and pressed herself into his chest. Zuko's arms automatically wrapped around her.

"Why?" he asked.

"They want me to teach waterbending."

"I don't understand. Don't you already have a waterbending master there? You told me about him. Your teacher."

"The student… he didn't get along with Pakku. And the council thinks that he's already formed an attachment, a bond with me."

"Who is this person?" Zuko asked possessively.

"Zuko why did you come early? I was supposed to have until nightfall."

Taken aback by her change in subject, Zuko looked down at her, his amber eyes wide. "Some of my men and I saw a bright pillar of light burst straight up into the sky. It was so strong that everyone was momentarily blinded. We couldn't bear to look. I got worried… I didn't know what that was. Didn't know if you were okay."

Katara steeled herself and moved away from Zuko's embrace, pacing around his room. She looked up at him with sad eyes. "It's the Avatar," she answered quietly. "I found him."

* * *

**Acknowledgements:**

**SmellofRoses: **Aha, my sentiments exactly ;)

**MonkeyFish997: **Welp, don't die! I've updated— no more suspense. Lulz except for the suspense I may have created at the end of this chapter. Whoops…

**Eponymous-Pascal: **Hmm… well I've introduced the Avatar lol. How does that fit in with your theory now? I mean Katara could be married to either one of them. Or neither! Gasp. Imagine, I make her marry cranky cabbage man from the Earth Kingdom. That'd be quite the plot twist, wouldn't it? But in all seriousness (although as author, it is my prerogative to make Katara marry whoever I want and mess with all of my readers), doesn't Katara have them _both_ wrapped around her finger? Any future snippets I put in are designed to be as vague as possible and make everyone panic that she might end up with Aang in the end, which already happened based on some of the reviews I've received in the past. Evil author's entertainment mwahaha.

Don't think too much of the quick update time. (Two days! You're all going to be spoiled now, aren't you?) Was just crazy inspired to keep writing and didn't want to lose it. Please read, review, and wonder :)


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